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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24849643">Bleach: The Second Cut</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarchLochnessMarch/pseuds/MarchLochnessMarch'>MarchLochnessMarch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bleach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Action/Adventure, Aizen Sosuke Being a Bastard, Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anime, Arrancar, Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Bankai, Bleach - Freeform, Bleach Headcanons, Bleach: The Hell Verse, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Chaptered, Character Death, Corruption, Dimension Travel, Espada, Fighting, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Ghosts, Hollow - Freeform, Hollowfication, Hollows (Bleach), Hueco Mundo, Hueco Mundo Arc, Japanese Mythology &amp; Folklore, Karakura Town, Katana, Major Character Injury, Manga, Post-Winter War (Bleach), Rewrite, Shinigami, Soul Reaper, Souls, Swordfighting, Swords, Winter War, Xcution (Bleach), aizen's origin, arrancar arrival, kubo tite, no cero espada, revision, royal tournament, shonen, zanpakuto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:59:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>169,511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24849643</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarchLochnessMarch/pseuds/MarchLochnessMarch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A thorough reimagining of Tite Kubo's Bleach. The fates of several characters are completely changed, the power-scaling gets tweaked, and often the order of events are completely reshuffled to produce a new result. I am not scrapping the foundation of the story; what I'm doing is more akin to rearranging the existing furniture to create a new layout.</p>
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<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Bleach: The Second Cut - Preface / Arcs One and Two</h2></a>
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</p><p>This is <strong><em>BLEACH: THE SECOND CUT</em></strong>, a thorough reimagining of Tite Kubo's <strong>Bleach. </strong>The fates of several characters are completely changed, the power-scaling gets dozens of tweaks, and sometimes the order of events are completely reshuffled to produce a new result. I am not scrapping the foundation of the story; what I'm doing is more akin to rearranging the existing furniture to produce a new layout.</p><p>I want to make my intentions clear: I do not presume to have a fraction of the talent that Kubo-sama possesses. I have the upmost respect for his artistry and creation.</p><p>The aim of this 'reimagining' is to expand upon <strong>Bleach</strong>'s world-building as much as possible while giving its vast ensemble of characters more room to breathe. I am <strong>not</strong> trying to <em>improve </em>the story – I am trying to decouple it from the pressures of being a Shōnen serial, allowing for more foreshadowing and plot intricacy.</p><p>My primary goal is to bring a tighter cohesion to the series with the benefit of hindsight and not needing to meet weekly deadlines. I am also just rewriting the series' events to suit the version of <strong>Bleach</strong> I wanted to see.</p><p>This has been a labor of love. I hope my affection for these characters proves infectious.</p><p>I would be remiss if I did not address the evolving nature of this story. To be completely blunt about it, <em><strong>The Second Cut</strong></em> is currently a patchwork. I began with only the ambition of writing a story outline, but during the climax of the Arrancar Arc I found myself writing detailed prose. So this project became novelistic going forward, with <em><strong>The Lost Agent</strong></em> arc especially being written as a full-blown book. I have been going back and rewriting patches of the earlier chapters to meet my new standards and style, but balancing the constraints of producing new content while refurbishing the old has taken time. So some chapters will be written novelistically while others read as an outline – this drop in quality sometimes occurs mid-chapter. The inconsistencies will eventually be fixed, but please pardon my sloppiness in the interim.</p><p>With that all out of the way, please enjoy <em><strong>The Second Cut</strong></em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  
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</p><p><em>Arc Intro Theme</em>: "Asterisk" by Orange Range</p><p>
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</p><p>PREFACE: Bleach is just a newborn at this stage, ambling along merrily with a monster-of-the-week format while establishing the characters, so I do not have many structural notes - more just adjustments that take the series' latter lore into consideration.</p><p>• When Ichigo and Rukia first meet, she has a moment of recognition, commenting that his face is familiar before her train of thought is interrupted by the encroaching Hollow. We will later realize that she was recognizing Ichigo's resemblance to his spiritual relative, Kaien Shiba.</p><p></p><div class="message-userContent lbContainer js-lbContainer hasThreadmark">
  <p>• Don Kanonji is eliminated from the narrative altogether. Fun character, but superfluous to the broader story.</p>
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    <p>• Rukia does not make declarative statements like a Menos being too strong for any one Shinigami to handle. Whenever she is alarmed by a new level of Hollow, her concern is merely that it may be too much for Ichigo to handle himself.</p>
    <p>• Urahara's recollection of the Quincy history to history diverges from the Canon. He states that they were ancestral enemies of the Shinigami who originated in the World of the Living, but that the last war had occurred 200 years ago against descendants who were a shadow of the Empire's former glory. Urahara adds that not much was known about the Quincy's ancestors, but that even their diminished incarnation were formidable opponents. He does attribute the war to the Quincies upsetting the balance of Souls by killing Hollows, but does not offer any explanation of their motivations.</p>
    <p>• Tatsuki Arisawa owns a pet Japanese weasel named Ringo. While the species is known for hostility, Ringo is a meek creature in contrast to its owner's fiery temperament.</p>
    <p>• Byakuya is garbed in his captain's robes when he retrieves Rukia from the World of the Living.</p>
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    <p>• <em>The Cycle of Rebirth</em><br/>When humans die and journey to Soul Society, they <b><em>do not</em></b> remember who they were in the World of the Living. Personality and memory are completely expunged as souls pass through the cycle of reincarnation. Rukia and Hisana only knew that they were sisters because they passed into Soul Society together and shared an uncanny resemblance. Only noble families within the Seiretei have the ability to procreate – they must gain permission from their reigning <em><b>Shisonka</b></em> Tenrai-chōs before they can have children (more on that later). To have biological parents in Soul Society is to come from nobility.</p>
    <p><b>• </b><em>Respect the Hierarchy</em><br/>While governance of the Seiretei is split between the Gotei 13 and Central 46, the four <b>Shisonka </b>("Supreme Houses") are the ultimate authority in Soul Society. These four families have ancestry that traces back to the inception of the Seiretei and they are the only souls with a direct line of communication to the Royal Realm. They are regarded as the favorite children of Reiō, the God of all creation, and their will is considered divine by the masses as a result.</p>
    <p>The four <b>Shisonka</b> families are:<br/>Ise House<br/>Kuchiki House<br/>Shihōin House<br/>Tsunayashiro House</p>
    <p>Each of these Supreme Houses are headed by a designated family member, known as their Tenrai-chō ("Divine Chieftain"). The four of them combined are the de facto rulers of Soul Society and any of their majority rulings can override any decisions made by Central 46 or Captain-Commander Yamamoto. It has become rare for them to join together to issue any proclamations, however.</p>
    <p>Byakuya Kuchiki <b>is not</b> the head of the Kuchiki House. He is currently the heir – no Tenrai-chō can be a Shinigami armed with a Zanpakutō. Should Byakuya ascend to the rank of Tenrai-chō, he would have to surrender Senbonzakura for destruction.</p>
    <p>Yoruichi Shihōin <b>was not</b> the head of the Kuchiki House. She was the heir apparent before her disappearance a century ago.</p>
    <p>There are dozens of noble houses beneath the <b>Shisonka</b>; all of them originated from Shinigami who won favor from one of the Supreme Houses over millennia and were granted the ability to have children. The Shiba clan were one of these noble families before they fell out of favor and were cast out into the Rukongai.</p>
    <p>• <em>Moving the Goalposts</em><br/>Rukia, Renji, Hisana, Rangiku, Gin, and Ukitake were not born as far out in the Rukongai as they were in the Canon. Rukia and Renji grew up in the 57th District, while Ukitake was raised in the 52nd. Rangiku and Gin grew up in the 45th District, although the poverty of all their upbringings still stand. Lastly, Kenpachi met Yachiru in the 58th District.</p>
    <p>A crucial difference about the Rukongai compared to the Canon: souls that are placed in the 60th district and beyond, where conditions become truly dire and lawless, are not even considered for entry into the Seiretei. They are all kept out to spend their existences in these godforsaken outskirts.</p>
    <p>• <em>An Olive Branch</em><br/>When Zaraki Kenpachi ambushes Ichigo, he offers a simple rite of passage: if the Ryoka can cut him, then he will let him continue on. The captain proceeds to completely overwhelm Ichigo, leaving him for dead on the ground. Zangetsu offers Ichigo his help, and the Substitute Shinigami rises again with a sudden spike in Reiatsu. Kenpachi, intrigued, launches at Ichigo and the two warriors clash in one strike. Ichigo collapses in a heap, unconscious from blood loss. Kenpachi, meanwhile, grins as a thin slice materializes across his chest. He thanks Ichigo for reminding him of what it feels like to bleed, and then leaves without finishing the Ryoka off.</p>
    <p>• <em>Damsel Dishing Out Distress</em><br/>Orihime Inoue defeats Jirobo Ikkanzaka herself, demonstrating that she has potential on the battlefield. After Uryu Ishida destroys Jirobo's Tsunzakigarasu, the fourth seat Shinigami refashions his Zanpakuto and takes Orihime hostage. Orihime is angered by being treated as a pawn and surprises both Jirobo and Uryu by deploying Koten Zanshun. Tsubaki launches into the Shinigami's Zanpakuto and splits it from inside. Orihime tells the Shinigami that she may not have killing intent, but that does not make her a coward – unlike him.</p>
    <p>• <em>Have We Met Before?</em><br/>When Yoruichi Shihoin saves Ichigo from his first rematch with Byakuya, her old pupil is more startled to see her and their shared history is strongly implied. She teases that his Shunpo hasn't gotten any faster, much to his consternation.</p>
    <p>• <em>Setting More Realistic Power-Scaling Expectations</em><br/>Yoruichi does not quantify how much a Bankai multiplies a Shinigami's strength. Nobody ever quantifies the power of the Sokyoku. It is never described as being "equivalent to a million Zanpakuto." It is strong enough to execute a Shinigami and does it with style - that's all we need to know. Furthermore; when Ichigo makes his move, Chojiro Sasakibe is not among the lieutenants who Ichigo makes short work of. Ōmaeda and Isane alone fulfill the role of fodder.</p>
    <p>Kenpachi peels off his eyepatch for the first time when battling Tōsen and Komamura, revealing that the accessory was designed to keep his power in check.</p>
    <p>• <em>"Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding."</em><br/>When Sōsuke Aizen impales Momo Hinamori, she is permanently dead. No resurrections - the betrayal leaves a lasting and traumatic consequence. However, Aizen is not as boastful about the deed as he was in the Canon and does not tell Toshiro Hitsguaya that he should have "left pieces of her all over Soul Society for him to find."</p>
    <p>When Aizen explains his rationale for murdering Hinamori to Renji, his reasoning remains the same, but his tone is more sombre and less gleefully malevolent. In his own twisted logic, Aizen believed that slaying Hinamori was the most merciful outcome for her. He viewed it as a regrettable necessity rather than a spiking of the betrayal football.</p>
    <p>• <em>A Fly Becomes a Dragon</em><br/>While Hitsugaya impaling an illusion of Aizen occurred in the anime, it did not happen in the Canon. We will make it so: Toshiro believes he has run Aizen through, only for the 5th Division Captain to stride past him, cutting him deep.</p>
    <p>• <em>"From the Beginning"</em><br/>When Aizen encounters Ichigo, he isn't as dismissive of him as he was in the Canon. When he cuts him down, he remarks that he is disappointed in the "Ryoka boy" after he showed some promise. This alteration is meant to bring more continuity to Aizen's grand plan for Ichigo. He will pointedly never refer to him as a "human" throughout the series.</p>
    <p>• <em>"You work for Kisuke Urahara, don't you?"</em><br/>When Aizen explains his elaborate plan to Ichigo, he says that Urahara Kisuke was exiled for "conducting experiments on his fellow Shinigami" instead of inventing an untraceable Gigai. Of course, Aizen says this to sow distrust between Ichigo and Urahara.</p>
    <p>When Aizen explains the strategic chess game that he's been playing with Urahara, he remarks that he had already invented a Hōgyoku, but that Urahara's variation will allow him to perfect his creation. He does not dub Urahara the inventor of the Hōgyoku, but that he got closer than he had in creating a fully-realized one. It is made clear that he has already been successfully creating and modifying Arrancar for some time, rather than just enhancing Hollows.</p>
    <p>• <em>"Where has your sense of justice gone?"</em><br/>When Sajin Komamura demands that Kaname Tōsen explain his betrayal, Tōsen does not say that he follows "the path least soaked in blood" — instead he says that following Aizen "is the only path towards justice."</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. THE ROYAL TOURNAMENT</h2></a>
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  <strong> <em>Arc Intro Theme: "Rolling Star" by Yui</em> </strong>
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  <em>NOTE: This arc was first conceived when <b>Second Cut</b> was written mostly as an outline treatment. The project has become much more novelistic since, but this arc has suffered the most from my prioritizing new chapters over refurbishing the earlier entries. The full story is currently here, but it will take time before it is fully nourished. </em>
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      <b>- SOUL SOCIETY [A Month After Sōsuke Aizen's Defection] -</b>
    </p><p>Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto rests his staff against the marbled floor of the Royal Chamber. Four shadowy figures sit on darkly-lit platforms elevated above him, each of them distinguished by an engraving on their perch. They read as ISE, KUCHIKI, SHIHŌIN, and TSUNAYASHIRO. There is an awkward silence as the four figures imperiously regard the captain-commander.</p><p>"This was an unmitigated disaster," a delicate, feminine voice calls down from the Ise perch. "The biggest fiasco to befall Soul Society in a century."</p><p>"I do not dispute that, Lord Ise," Yamamoto grumbles back.</p><p>"Is that all you have to say for yourself?" a reedy, sniveling voice pipes up from the Tsunayashiro perch.</p><p>"For myself?" Yamamoto repeats, confused.</p><p>"I had hoped you would have a more spirited excuse…" the shadowy Tsunayashiro representative continues, "… for why we should not strip you of your title for incompetence."</p><p>"Captain-Commander Yamamoto's authority is not to be demeaned," a wizened voice interjects from the Kuchiki perch. "There will be an accounting of errors made, but this is not a tribunal."</p><p>"Then let us begin accounting!" the Tsunayashiro figure retorts. "Under the supervision of Shigekuni here, the entirety of Central 46 was slaughtered, erroneous orders were sent out and followed for days, and three Gotei captains defected to the Hollow horde – armed with a technological monstrosity hatched by an exile who should have been put down a century ago. Do I have that in full?"</p><p>"Let us not forget the destruction of the Sōkyoku," the Ise figure drolly adds.</p><p>"Aizen Sōsuke deceived us all," Yamamoto replies. "But I take full responsibility for the failure to detect his traitorous intent."</p><p>"Soul Society is already vulnerable in light of these setbacks," the Kuchiki representative concludes. "We do not need to dole out reprisals. Instead, we must bolster our defenses to repel this new threat."</p><p>"Agreed," the Ise representative says. "Your forces have grown indolent and sluggish. A mortal boy got the better of Gotei officers! All seated members, be they captain or grunt, are to undergo extensive retraining immediately!"</p><p>"There is also the matter of replacing the leadership positions of the Third, Fifth, and Ninth Divisions," the Tsunayashiro representative adds with a hint of malicious glee. "Lord Shihōin had the most wonderful idea for determining the new appointees."</p><p>Yamamoto raises his brows with apprehension.</p><p>"The Gotei 13 has had a strict criteria for ascension to the rank of captain for millennia," the captain-commander reminds the chamber.</p><p>"Tell me, Shigekuni…" the Tsunayashiro representative hisses back playfully. "…Who within your current ranks would pass that criteria? Only one lieutenant has acquired a Bankai. He also turned it against his own commanding officer! No, no… the old way will not due. These are extraordinary times, Shigekuni. They call for extraordinary measures."</p><p>The representative leans forward, his face caught by a thin beam of light: he is Tokinada, the Tenrai-chō (Divine Chieftain) of the Tsunayashiro Family, one of the four Shisonka (Supreme Houses). His mischievous green eyes glinting and clover-hued hair unkempt, he smiles condescendingly down at Yamamoto.</p><p>"Lord Shihōin has suggested a tournament attended by all of Soul Society, wherein challengers from every division may stake their claim for the title of captain," Tokinada announces with a grin. "A most expedient solution."</p><p>"That would be… irregular," Yamamoto hesitantly protests. "Planning such a competition would in itself be a distraction –"</p><p>"It would be necessary," the Ise Tenrai-chō interrupts, edge in her voice. "Not only would it give your rank and file an opportunity to distinguish themselves, it would help restore Soul Society's confidence in your leadership. The finest warriors of each division, demonstrating why we have entrusted our safety to the Gotei 13. I'd say that is most necessary to the war effort."</p><p>"Do you agree with this, Lord Kuchiki?" Yamamoto asks the Kuchiki representative.</p><p>"… It is a unanimous decree," the Kuchiki Tenrai-chō replies.</p><p>"This would also be a fitting way of celebrating Lord Shihōin's fast-approaching sixth decade," Tokinada adds.</p><p>The Shihōin Tenrai-chō, who had not yet spoken from his perch, leans forward until he too is illuminated by the light: Yūshirō Shihōin, a very young-looking boy who bears an uncanny resemblance to Yoruichi.</p><p>"C'mon, Captain-Commander," Yūshirō cheerfully weighs in. "It'll be fun!"</p><p>- <b>Soul Society</b></p><p>A month after Aizen's defection, there remain three captain vacancies and no obvious candidates to fill them. The Royal Families (Ise, Kuchiki, Shihoin, and Tsunayashiro) announce a tournament to determine whether or not any sitting officers are worthy of the promotion. Several of the captains point out that this would go against the tradition of how captains are selected, but Yamamoto retorts that their hands are tied as far as the Royal Families' will is concerned.</p><p>- <b>The World of the Living -</b></p><p>The tournament is juxtaposed with slice of life stories of Ichigo and friends in the world of the living, where Shinji Hirako is introduced as a new student.</p><p>• Ichigo and Uryu are assigned to work together on a class project and have to learn to cooperate together without the life-or-death stakes. We get to see Ichigo's downplayed aptitude for school displayed here.</p><p>• Ichigo and Chad get unreasonably competitive with each other over an arcade game. We follow Chad as he dedicates himself tirelessly to improving at the game until he is able to completely ace it. Ichigo is in awe of his joystick prowess.</p><p>• Isshin catches sick in the lead-up to Karin and Yuzu's joint birthday and tasks Ichigo with arranging festivities and gifts. Not knowing what they would want, he turns to Orihime, who merrily takes the lead and drags him around Karakura Town to set up something elaborate for his sisters. Ichigo's a grump about it at first but gradually softens, Orihime's sunniness rubbing off on him. The party's a hit and we get our first inkling that Ichigo enjoys spending time with Orihime.</p><p>• Tatsuki increasingly feels out of the loop from the others - knowing that they're hiding something from her. Meanwhile, Uryu Ishida struggles with no longer having his Quincy powers, falling into a depression that he keeps hidden from the others.</p><p>• Rukia is not allowed to participate in the Royal Tournament due to her association with the scandal of Aizen's defection. Ukitake, sensing his subordinate's melancholy, grants her leave to visit the World of the Living while the tournament is underway.</p><p>Ichigo and Rukia reunite. However, they are both attacked by the resurgent Grand Fisher – who is now a more powerful Arrancar and has brought a pair of minor Hollows with him as backup. It is during this ambush that Rukia first unveils her Zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki. Ichigo is much stronger since his first match with Grand Fisher, of course, and he begins to overwhelm his mother's killer. However, Ichigo swiftly Hollowfies after he releases his Bankai and his monstrous, berserker form massacres the Grand Fisher mercilessly. Rukia is horrified to see that Ichigo has been harboring a Hollow. Before the Hollowfied Ichigo can wreak more mayhem, Isshin Kurosaki blitzes onto the scene to smash his mask.</p><p>Ichigo collapses, not being conscious to see his father in a Shinigami form. Rukia is stunned to learn that Isshin is a Shinigami – he asks her to promise to keep his identity and Ichigo's Hollow a secret between them.</p><p>• <b>The Royal Tournament</b></p><p>Most of the Gotei lieutenants are unenthusiastic about competing in the tournament, some feeling unworthy while others want to continue serving under their captains. Shunsui Kyoraku offers a week off paper work to whoever wins, which draws even the more reluctant lieutenants' interest — and the full enthusiasm of Rangiku Matsumoto.</p><p>a) Hisagi and Ikkaku are the most recalcitrant, the former still mourning his mentor's betrayal and the latter because he only wishes to serve under Kenpachi Zaraki.</p><p>b) Izuru Kira is interested in restoring honor to his division while Ōmaeda is absolutely psyched at the prospect of a promotion, deluding himself into believing that he is captain material.</p><p>c) Nanao Ise is asked why she isn't participating, to which she replies that she does not, in fact, have a Zanpakutō.</p><p>• <b>A Royal Pain in the Ass</b></p><p>We are introduced to Tokinada Tsunayashiro. He resides at the top echelon of political power within Soul Society and is a real piece of work. He watches the matches from a tricked-out box seat, snidely dishing out verbal abuse against the Captains and dropping cutting remarks about their respective histories. He is also quite cruel towards Hisagi and Kira, singling them out before the audience as the "lieutenants and confidantes" of traitors. Tokinada is particularly vicious to Komamura, repeatedly singling him out for mockery and referencing his "cursed lineage."</p><p>• <b>Several key fight dynamics</b>:</p><p>a) Ōmaeda, being one of the most desirable bachelors in Soul Society (no, seriously, that's a thing!), is adored by the crowd. He gets his ass kicked.</p><p>b) Hisagi refuses to activate his Shikai, both because he finds its malevolent shape distasteful and because his heart is really not in the contest. He loses as a result — to Kira, who is willing to use his Shikai for the advantage. Several observers view this as a shame, commenting that Hisagi is a more natural leader than Kira.</p><p>c) Renji is matched with Ikkaku and spends their fight conflicted, knowing that the 11th Division Lieutenant is hiding a Bankai that he refuses to reveal. We learn about Ikkaku's backstory during this fight. Ikkaku ultimately throws the match, leaving Renji feeling as though he hadn't really won.</p><p>• <b>Out with the Old / In with the New</b></p><p>Central 46 is refilled, with several new members introduced as bystanders at the tournament. Most of them do not give off the impression of impartiality or upright morality. Several of the Shinigami find them repulsive and privately lament that they have to answer to them.</p><p>We also get to observe worship of Reiō in the Seiretei and in the Rukongai. The Royal Families invoke his name during their public appearances and it always elicits worshipful cheers from crowds.</p><p>
      <b>• Sound the Alarmcarr</b>
    </p><p>The competition winnows down to two fighters: Kira Izuru and Renji Abarai. Instead of battling each other, their final bout is against the 1st Division lieutenant: Chōjirō Sasakibe. It is here that Yamamoto's oft-reserved subordinate demonstrates his formidability; outclassing both combatants. Izuru is knocked out while Renji continues to fight on, with some onlookers daring to think that he might have a chance.</p><p>The fight is interrupted when a Garganta opens in the arena: out steps Ulquiorra Cifer and Yammy Riyalgo. The stadium is hushed, the captains gripping their Zanpakuto hilts. Tokinda takes an obscene bite out of some fruit and regards the Arrancar with amusement.</p><p>Ulquiorra, with his low dulcet voice, says that they have come to merely make their existence known, and to announce that the Shinigami's reign will soon come to an end.</p><p>Renji reflexively attacks Ulquiorra, who parries with a kick that sends the lieutenant flying head-first into the audience. Ulquiorra and Yammy escape through a Garganta before further escalation. Tokinada is amused, remarking to Yamamoto that the tournament's most successful contestant was too incompetent to deal with two lowly Hollows. The tournament is curtailed - the Royal Families decrying that none of the contestants are worthy of promotion.</p><p>
      <b>- The World of the Living -</b>
    </p><p>Rukia has left to return to Soul Society after learning that Renji has become a finalist. She wants to be there for him. Ichigo, meanwhile, is haunted by his hazy memory of his second encounter with the Grand Fisher. Shinji has been making entreaties for him to join with the Visoreds, but he has been resistant. Then, much to his shock, his younger sister Karin approaches him and asks if he is a Shinigami...</p></div></div>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. ARRANCAR ARC: Hole In My Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aizen's forces make their first foray in the World of the Living, Ichigo meets the Visoreds, and Karin gets suspicious.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p> <iframe></iframe></p><p>"A Shinigami?" Ichigo repeats, his voice incredulous but internal monologue screaming with panic. "Are you nuts? Karin, that's crazy –"<br/><br/>"I can see them, too," Karin interjects, drawing hushed astonishment from her older brother. "I should have told you before, but I... I didn't realize what I was watching for a long time. But I've noticed a lot, lately –"<br/><br/>Ichigo and Karin simultaneously feel their centers of gravity pulled to the floor like an anchor. Two enormous Reiatsu signatures have arrived in Karakura.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami instinctively turns to leap out of his windowsill, but Karin catches the hem of his shirt.<br/><br/>"Where are you going, Ichigo?" she asks. She doesn't like having to ask; she has never allowed herself to be this vulnerable before her brother in years.<br/><br/>Ichigo looks into his sister's eyes and feels a pang of guilt. He reaches for his Substitute Badge, mumbling "Sorry, Karin," and bursts from his human body.</p><p>Karin watches her brother bound into the sky, clad in his Shihakushō. She then glances at his lifeless body, feeling slightly repulsed.</p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/>Ulquiorra Cifer and Yammy Riyalgo step forth from their Garganta and into the flat greenery of Karakura Park. The hulking Arrancar recalls that the World of the Living is rife with unappetizing souls, describing the humans surrounding them as "thin gruel."<br/><br/>Ulquiorra chides his comrade for complaining and reminds him that they've come there to seek out the fighter who intrigued Lord Aizen. Noting that the majority of combatants in the World of the Living are "trash," the diminutive Arrancar concludes that it ought to be easy to identify their target.<br/><br/>"Draw his attention, Yammy," Ulquiorra orders.<br/><br/>The bulky Arrancar happily obliges and sucks up the nearby souls in the vicinity, killing dozens of people. He notices that one survives – it's Tatsuki Arisawa, who had been practicing martial arts with her Dojo classmates. When Ulquiorra confirms that she is not who they came here for, Yammy readies to squash her underfoot. His stomp is halted by Yasutora "Chad" Sado's released Brazo Derecha de Gigante.<br/><br/>Chad urges Orihime Inoue to take Tatsuki and run. She complies, but then looks back to see that Yammy has nonchalantly crushed Chad's arm, rendering him unconscious. She rushes back and shields him with Santen Kesshun, casting her Sōten Kisshun to reverse the damage done to his arm. Ulquiorra is intrigued by the technique.<br/><br/>Orihime launches Tsubaki at Yammy – only for the Arrancar to snatch the fairy in his grip and crush it into pulp.<br/><br/>...<br/><br/>Uryū Ishida grips onto the railing of a bridge walkway, gritting his teeth as he senses the dense Reiatsu signatures in Karakura Park. He can detect that people have died already. He wants to run towards danger and help.<br/><br/><em>Why do I feel frozen</em>? he wonders. He grimaces, knowing why: because he wouldn't be much help at all. In fact, he'd only be a liability to the others.<br/><br/>"Damn it!" he curses, punching the rail.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Ulquiorra grants Yammy permission to kill Orihime. The Arrancar launches down a punch, only for his fist to meet the point of Zangetsu.<br/><br/>"He's the one, Yammy," Ulquiorra interjects, eyeing Ichigo intently. "Orange hair, black Zanpakutō. There's no mistaking him."<br/><br/>Yammy, pleased by his luck, throws a heaving punch, only for Ichigo's broad Shikai to block the strike effortlessly.<br/><br/>"Were you the one who did that to Chad's arm?" Ichigo grits. "Guess I'll start with your arm."<br/><br/>Ichigo leaps over Yammy, cleanly slicing off his offending limb and snatching it away.<br/><br/><em>He's able to make sport of Yammy without Bankai?</em> Ulquiorra observes, mildly impressed.<br/><br/>Ichigo notes that he's dealing with opponents that look like Hollows, but carrying Zanpakutos. It reminds him of Grand Fisher. It also uncomfortably resembles Shinji and himself. He readies to lunge at Yammy again, but is seized with a cackling pull from the back of his mind.<br/><br/><em>No</em>, Ichigo panics. <em>Not you again, monster!</em><br/><br/>Ichigo's inner Hollow is attempting to seize control. He writhes, preoccupied with the struggle over control of his body. Yammy, still in shock from having his arm hacked off, sees his chance and seizes it. He begins to pummel Ichigo into the dirt, smacking Orihime away when she attempts to interfere. The Arrancar rears up his fist and swings down, only for his knuckle to crash onto a Kidō shield. He looks down to see Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin between him and his prey.<br/><br/>Yoruichi swiftly brutalizes Yammy with her Hakuda skills. However, she feels her arm sprain after striking the Arrancar's Hierro – these opponents are stronger than she expected. She gives Orihime a balm to drink, only for a pummeled Yammy to rear up and fire a Cero from his maw. The blast is cancelled out by Urahara, who repeats his technique: "Nake, Benihime."<br/><br/>The shopkeeper slings a crimson blast at Yammy, only for Ulquiorra to flash-step before the current and swat it away. Ulquiorra concludes that he's seen enough and will report back to Lord Aizen that the "Ryōka boy" isn't even worth killing. The two Arrancar retreat through a Garganta, Ulquiorra eyeing Ichigo with withering countenance. Ichigo feels himself retching, struggling to keep the darkness from overtaking his mind, and then faints.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Dr. Ryūken Ishida looks up from his paperwork as his son bursts into the office. Uryū heaves for breath as he glares at his father with furious determination, his hand gripping the doorknob so tight that he might just rip it off. An embarrassed secretary hovers behind him.<br/><br/>"I'm so sorry, sir," she says. "He just – are you smoking, sir?!"<br/><br/>"Leave us," Ryūken cuts her off, stubbing out his cigarette.<br/><br/>The secretary shoots Uryū a scornful look and leaves. The Karakura Town Hospital Director's office is adorned with all manner of Quincy insignias, giving an air of the occult alongside the antiseptic setting.<br/><br/>Ryūken props his elbows on his desk, watching Uryū take a seat before him. "Is there a reason why you ran here like a frantic dog?"<br/><br/>"You know why," Uryū huffs, his school uniform soaked in sweat. "Two Hollows just came to Karakura Town and terrorized the park."<br/><br/>"I am well aware," Ryūken replies curtly. "23 people were brought in, all of them dead. Their bodies are being examined just a floor below us. What does this have to do with you?"<br/><br/>Uryū furrows his brow, annoyed that he even has to ask.<br/><br/>"There is a breed of Hollow we've never seen before assaulting the World of the Living," he grits. "I need to be able to fight them."<br/><br/>Ryūken leans back in his chair, exasperated.<br/><br/>"You're the one who threw away your Quincy powers –"<br/><br/>Uryū lunges up and grips the desk, visibly irate.<br/><br/>"Tell me if there is a way to restore them!" he begs. "Ryūken, please."<br/><br/>Ryūken meets his son's pleading look with a cryptic stare: "Perhaps it would be better if you never reattain the Quincy craft."<br/><br/>"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Uryū roars, pounding his fist on the desk. "Because there's no profit in being a Quincy, isn't that right?"<br/><br/>"Is that what you thought I meant?" Ryūken retorts with icy indifference. "You misunderstood: I said that there was no profit in your potential as a Quincy."<br/><br/>Uryū falls back into his seat, stunned. He looks at his father with wide-eyed heartbreak, struggling to form the words.<br/><br/>"You... You are a heartless excuse for a father," Uryū says numbly. "I can't understand why I ever had any love for you."<br/><br/>Ryūken's expression remains unchanged as he watches his son rise from his seat and storm out of the office.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Orihime awakes in a hospital bed. She can hear a television lightly blaring across the room, with a news broadcaster recounting how there were believed over 20 dead after an earthquake at the Karakura Park. Orihime squints her eyes open and sees that Ichigo is sitting beside her hospital bed, snoring as his bandaged head rests against her blanketed legs.<br/><br/>"Kurosaki-kun?" she asks, prompting him to wake up.<br/><br/>"Inoue!" Ichigo exclaims, snapping up into a ramrod straight posture. "I was... are you in pain?"<br/><br/>Orihime responds no, her wincing betraying that she's a bad liar. She has a splitting headache and feels like her body has been shaken like a rattle. She notices Chad standing by the window, his right arm in a sling.<br/><br/>"Chad, your arm..." Orihime laments in a hushed whisper, her eyes welling with tears. "It was because you were trying to protect me and Tatsuki. I'm so sorry I couldn't –"<br/><br/>"The reason why I still have my arm is because of you," Chad interjects. "You don't have to apologize for a thing, Orihime."<br/><br/>"But I do," Orihime insists, turning her doe eyes back to Ichigo. "I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun. I wasn't strong enough. I only got in the way."<br/><br/>Ichigo is taken aback by Orihime's apology. He doesn't have the words.<br/><br/>Isshin Kurosaki bursts into the room, bedecked in his lab coat. Orihime realizes that they all must be at Kurosaki Clinic.<br/><br/>"Well now!" Isshin announces in a sing-song patter. "All of you are lucky to have been let off as lightly as you were by that earthquake. Most of the other bystanders were not so lucky, apparently."<br/><br/>The elder Kurosaki sits at the edge of Orihime's bed, plucking up her chart.<br/><br/>"Expect to be dizzy for the remainder of the week, Ms. Inoue," the doctor notes. "You're going to need plenty of bedrest, so no school for the next couple of days, understood? You can stay here and keep me company, eh?"<br/><br/>Orihime brightens up, forcing a perky affirmation while Ichigo watches her with concern.<br/><br/><em>You never complain when you're in pain</em>, he thinks as he watches Orihime laugh at his father's clownish attempts at flirtation. <em>You hide your sadness with a smile. And when I've let you down... it's you who says you're sorry.<br/><br/></em></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Yoruichi hungrily scarfs down a veritable feast, her wrist and leg bandaged up.<br/><br/>"Looks like you're recovering well," Urahara says sweetly, leaning against the doorway. "How's the leg?"<br/><br/>"I was foolish to attack the Arrancar without Shunkō," Yoruichi admits between gulps of orange juice. "An Arrancar's 'Hierro' is much tougher than we anticipated."<br/><br/>Urahara studies Yoruichi's expression for a beat. "There's something else worrying you."<br/><br/>"It's Ichigo," Yoruichi admits, leaning back to pat herself on the stomach. "His mental state. He seems so... afraid."<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Ichigo slips back through his bedroom window and onto his bed, letting out an exhausted sigh. He senses something is off – there's a presence in the room. He comically checks every nook and cranny fastidiously before sliding open his closet, where Karin has fallen asleep, waiting for him. His first instinct is to be angry by the intrusion, but his expression softens as he gazes down at his slumbering sister. Seeing her in his closet reminds him of Rukia.<br/><br/>Yuzu is watching TV in the living room. She hears steps coming downstairs and cranes her head back to see Ichigo carrying Karin in his arms. He brings her over to the couch and lays her next to her twin.<br/><br/>"Did you hurt your head, Ichigo?" Yuzu asks, gazing up at the bandages wrapped around her older brother. She doesn't pay any mind when Karin's snoring face slumps against her shoulder.<br/><br/>"Sure did," Ichigo replies with warmth. "Luckily, it's the hardest spot a Kurosaki's got, right?"<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Kon scamps around Ichigo's room while the Substitute Shinigami sits crosslegged on his bed, trying to focus.<br/><br/>"Y'know I think your sister's starting to get wise," the plushie remarks as he pantomimes taking a sip from a toy teacup that he smuggled from the girls' room.<br/><br/>"Shut it," Ichigo says curtly, his eyes squeezed shut. He holds Zangetsu in his lap, his mind trying to access his Inner World. He recalls when Yoruichi advised him during their training in Soul Society, explaining how a Shinigami can access their Inner World through the meditative art of <em>Jinzen</em>. He tries to relax his mind, until...<br/><br/>... He is now standing horizontally on one of the skyscrapers that reach up beyond the horizon. He looks around, creeped out by the silence pervading this realm. He calls out for Zangetsu, but there is no reply.<br/><br/>He trudges up along the face of the tower, repeating the spirit's name. His foot presses down on the window pane, only for a pale hand to burst through the glass and grip him by the ankle. It's his Hollow.<br/><br/>"Hello there, Ichigo!" the pale reflection hisses as it tries to drag him beneath the shattered glass.<br/><br/>Ichigo squirms and wriggles free, stumbling back. "I came here for Zangetsu, not you!" he cries out.<br/><br/>"I <em>am</em> Zangetsu!" the Hollow squeals, cutting through the array of windows like a dorsal fin on the ocean's surface. Ichigo backtracks, eyes wide with horror. He feels the inverted gravity of the realm give out, sending him plunging down the tower's surface with a scream.<br/><br/>Ichigo snaps out of his trance, gasping for breath atop his bed. Kon looks up at him with alarm, frozen as he holds his teacup to his quilted mouth.<br/><br/>"You okay, Ichigo?"<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Isshin arrives home, chiding Yuzu for staying up late watching television. Karin stirs awake and then bolts up, asking her father if he's seen Ichigo. Yuzu sleepily comments that he had already come home and was up in his room. Both Isshin and Yuzu watch with bemusement as Karin storms back up the stairs.<br/><br/>Karin bursts into Ichigo's room, her vulnerability from that morning replaced with her characteristic sauciness. "Alright, Ichigo, we're not through –"<br/><br/>Her eyes widen with shock when she sees Kon holding a tea party for himself on the floor. The plushie stares back at her in slack-jawed panic before resorting to instinct: he flops down and plays inanimate object.<br/><br/>Karin picks up the lion plushie, looks at the open window, and then grits "Why does Ichigo have... a doll?"<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Shinji Hirako widens his toothy grin when he spots Ichigo approaching him on the bridge.<br/><br/>"It's gotten that bad, eh?" the Visored smirks as he studies Ichigo's troubled expression.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami frowns, hands buried in his pockets. He casts his eyes down and swallows his pride.<br/><br/>"I need your help."<br/><br/>"Ehhhh, sure," Shinji answers sarcastically. "I s'pose I'm a nice enough guy to arrange that. Just slip this on."<br/><br/>Ichigo is nonplussed when Shinji hands him a blindfold. "Is this a joke?"<br/><br/>"Nobody knows where me and my crew live," Shinji retorts. "Not you, not anyone in Karakura Town, and nobody in Soul Society. I like to keep it that way."<br/><br/>Ichigo sighs and slides the fabric over his eyes. "So, what are you gonna do, lead me yb eht dnah... <em>hoaw</em>...?"<br/><br/>He hears his own speech becoming slurred, his sense of perception spinning. If Ichigo had been a drinker, he'd liken this sensation to having had one too many. Everything becomes a long, nauseous blur until he feels Shinji pull the blindfold from his eyes. His blurry vision continues to rove like a spinning top until it finally settles on the sight of five shadowy figures gazing down at him from the rafters of a warehouse ceiling.<br/><br/>"Wha... what did you... hmph!" Ichigo turns and pukes, eliciting a cry of disgust from Hiyori.<br/><br/>"Aw, dammit Shinji – I just mopped this entire place!" the pint-sized hellion cries out irately.<br/><br/>"Just get it out of your system," Shinji says while pinching his nose, gazing at Ichigo with annoyance.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami heaves back, feeling himself acclimate to having a center of gravity again. He runs his sleeve over his mouth, gazing up at the five strangers: they are Hachigen Ushōda, Hiyori Sarugaki, Kensei Muguruma, Lisa Yadōmaru, and Love Aikawa.<br/><br/>Shinji proceeds to roll call each of the Visoreds, introducing them to Ichigo Kurosaki: "Our new recruit."<br/><br/>"I said I needed your help to quiet down the Hollow inside me," Ichigo grits back. "I didn't say anything about joining you."<br/><br/>"If Soul Society finds out about your crankier side, they'll put you down like vermin," Shinji says. "We're all in the same leaky boat, kid. This isn't a club membership – we're all bonded by what we are: Visoreds."<br/><br/>Ichigo grumbles that he never chose to become a Visored, to which Shinji counters that neither did they. "We all got a bug up our asses that'd be running the show if we didn't show 'em who's boss. You're not getting rid of yer Hollow, kid. But we can show you how to live with it."<br/><br/>"If this little shit complains one more time, I say we chuck him out and just let his Hollow eat him whole," Hiyori snaps.<br/><br/>The Visoreds all begin to snipe at each other with the love/hate combativeness of an argumentative family. Ichigo watches with bemusement as they debate whether to help him or let him rot.<br/><br/>"Kid's ungrateful from the jump," Love comments before blowing a fat wad of bubblegum. "Why should we risk our necks just to help some human punk?"<br/><br/>Shinji thinks the question over and then hatches his strategy: "Looks like we're gonna need to resort to the initiation ritual."<br/><br/>All of the Visoreds look at each other questioningly, each one relenting that they're open to the idea. Ichigo pipes up and asks "What is this 'initiation ritual?'"<br/><br/>"You'll find out later," Shinji says. "We're done for tonight. Meet me at the bridge same time tomorrow and we'll get started, got it?"<br/><br/>Ichigo protests that he needs a cure immediately, to which Hiyori sucker punches him from the back of the head. Lisa kneels down to the dazed and drooling teenager and fits the blindfold over his eyes.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>"I know you can talk – tell me where he is!" Karin's voice cries out from Ichigo's room. Yuzu and Isshin both kneel against the door, pressing their ears to the wood and listening with abject horror.<br/><br/>"Don't play dumb!" Karin yells. "Speak or I'll snip your arm off!"<br/><br/>Yuzu looks at Isshin with wide-eyed concern. "Dad, she's torturing Ichigo!"<br/><br/>"She was always the strongest-willed of my children!" Isshin gasps to himself. "It was only a matter of time before Ichigo got on her bad side. Oh, my poor boy, what have you brought upon yourself?!"<br/><br/>"I'm cutting your arm off on the count of three," Karin roars. "Two... !"<br/><br/>"Dad!" Yuzu whispers with alarm. "We have to save Big Brother!"<br/><br/>Isshin nods and dramatically rears up. He roves his leg and then kicks it through the door with full force, busting it open. Father and daughter peer inside, only to be flummoxed by the sight of Karin holding a pair of scissors to the arm of an inanimate lion plushie. She had already fixed a wicker crown of lit candles over the fabric of the doll's head, as if to make him sweat.<br/><br/>Karin looks back in speechless mortification at Isshin and Yuzu. She looks down at the inanimate doll she was torturing, then back up at her dumbfounded father and sister. "I can explain."</p><hr/><p><br/><br/><b>- HUECO MUNDO: LAS NOCHES -</b><br/><br/>Ulquiorra Cifer and the battered Yammy Riyalgo stride into a darkened throne room, flanked on all sides by shadowed Arrancar. Before them sits Sōsuke Aizen, perched comfortably on his throne.<br/><br/>"Come now, Ulquiorra," Aizen says, savoring the regality of his presentation. "Regale our brethren with your exploits."<br/><br/>Ulquiorra plucks out his own eye, replying that everyone present can see the result for themselves. He crushes the optical orb in his grip, its dust wafting into the nostrils of the dozens of attendees. Aizen inhales with an inquisitive furrow of his brow.<br/><br/>"Very good... We have dramatically announced ourselves to Soul Society," The Arrancar Lord grins. "But it seems that your excursion into the World of the Living was a shakier affair?"<br/><br/>"The human warrior who drew your eye proved to be as ineffectual as he is temperamental," Ulquiorra replies. "It was as you suspected: he is harboring a Hollow. It seems that his corruption has escalated to an untenable state. Whatever promise he holds, he is too preoccupied with suppressing it to make any use of his potential."<br/><br/>"And so you decided that he wasn't worth further exploration?" Aizen asks theatrically, as if their conversation were a play being performed for the benefit of their audience.<br/><br/>Ulquiorra answers affirmatively, only to draw a heckling from one crosslegged Arrancar: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the Sexta Espada.<br/><br/>"You let this human runt humiliate Yammy like that and then just turned tail and fled?" Grimmjow seethes. "Suppose he gets a handle on that Hollow – what then?"<br/><br/>"Then I will deal with him," Ulquiorra answers coldly.<br/><br/>"The matter is settled," Aizen concludes. "The boy is your responsibility, Ulquiorra. I entrust you with monitoring his progress and dealing with him however you deem fit. In the meantime, all other Arrancar are forbidden from engaging with this human. Is that understood?"<br/><br/>Grimmjow grinds his teeth, gazing at Ulquiorra with scorn.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/><b>- KARAKURA TOWN -</b><br/><br/>Orihime stirs awake, gradually recognizing that Uryū is sitting at her beside.<br/><br/>"Ishida-kun?" she asks groggily. "You came to visit me? That's very kind of you."<br/><br/>Uryū gazes at her with profound guilt animating his eyes.<br/><br/>"Please accept my apology, Inoue," he says with emotion in his voice. "I... I'm sorry for not intervening yesterday. I should have come to your aide."<br/><br/>"Oh, that's okay, Ishida-kun..." Orihime drowsily replies, not fully lucid yet. "There wasn't anything you could do –"<br/><br/>She catches herself, realizing the insensitivity of her comment. She sees the pain in Uryū's eyes and recognizes her own profound sense of helplessness. She readies to say she's sorry.<br/><br/>"No, don't apologize," Uryū cuts her off. "You're always too ready to spare the feelings of others at the expense of your own, Inoue. You're right: there wasn't anything I could do. That's exactly where I've let you and everyone else down. I've tried to hide how much it eats away at me, but..."<br/><br/>Uryū bows his head, his fists tightening into balls of tension. "I... I cannot stand being this useless!"<br/><br/>Orihime is speechless. She can't help but relate to his frustration. She watches as Uryū rises from his seat and turns to leave, unable to look at her.<br/><br/>"I'm leaving Karakura Town for a while," he says. "I don't know when I'll return, but I wanted to express my apologies first."<br/><br/>"Where are you going, Ishida-kun?" Orihime asks. "Please don't leave before –"<br/><br/>"Goodbye, Inoue," Uryū says, striding out of the room and closing the door behind him.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>It is now evening. Ichigo enters his room through the window. It's 11pm – one hour away from when he'll meet with Shinji again.<br/><br/>"Ichigo!" Kon cries out, sprouting out from his hiding place under Ichigo's bed. "We've gotta talk about your sister – she's a complete maniac!"<br/><br/>"What are you talking about?" Ichigo grumbles, scratching his ear as he lands atop his bed.<br/><br/>"She nearly maimed me last night!" Kon recounts. "Kept demanding I spill the beans on whether you're a Shinigami. I held strong, but you gotta check the temper on that kid!"<br/><br/>Ichigo sighs, gazing up at the ceiling. "Great."<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Shinji pulls the blindfold off from Ichigo's eyes. The nauseous Substitute Shinigami stumbles around, struggling not to lose his lunch again. He takes a big gulp, sweat beading down his forehead as he regains his bearings.<br/><br/>"He kept it down on the second go-around," Kensei observes. "Kid adapts fast."<br/><br/>"Ready to begin the initiation ritual, Ichigo?" Shinji asks, tipping his cap.<br/><br/>Ichigo nods, apprehensive but prepared for whatever comes next. Hiyori orders Hachi to start a drumroll. The gentle giant conjures bongos composed of Kidō and drums them to a crescendo.<br/><br/>"Kurosaki Ichigo!" cries out Kensei, arms crossed. "Your first trial in the grand initiation ritual is..."<br/><br/>Lisa and Love pulls back a pair of curtains, revealing that the Visoreds have transformed their warehouse into an elaborate and rather shitty obstacle course.<br/><br/>"... partnering with me in a relay!" Kensei finishes, eyes bulging with intensity.<br/><br/>Ichigo's jaw drops. He doesn't know what to say. "What... the hell... is this?"<br/><br/>He immediately regrets his words as Kensei gets in his face.<br/><br/>"This is your blessed opportunity to prove yourself a team player to me, dumbass!" the white-haired Visored barks, eyes alight with fury. "I haven't lost once before to Lisa and Love, and I ain't about to start losing now. You will run this relay, you will pass me the baton in record time, and we will kick some ass! Got it?"<br/><br/>Ichigo casts Shinji a skeptical look. The Visored leader replies "If you wanna control your Hollow while remaining in one piece, you're gonna have to do it on our terms, kid."<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami, so annoyed that steam is coming out his ears, sighs and activates his Shinigami form. "How hard can it be?" he comments. "This obstacle course looks like it was thrown together at the last minute."<br/><br/>"It took all day, asshole!" Hiyori pipes up.<br/><br/>Ichigo and Lisa ready at the starting line, gazing up at a sloping rink before them, followed by a mesh net that leads to a series of perches that they will have to leap over with a tank of water below. Waiting on the other end are Kensei and Love, who will finish out the race once each of their partners hands them a baton.<br/><br/>"On your mark," Shinji begins. "Get set –"<br/><br/>"Wait!" Hiyori interjects sharply. "It ain't ready yet. Hachi – remember what we talked about?"<br/><br/>"Oh, yes," Hachi replies affably. "Just a moment." The giant claps his palms together, conjuring a series of Kidō traps along the obstacle course. Ichigo looks on in horror as razors of pure energy whirr across the rink, broad hammers of light smash together randomly along the ropes course, and projectiles of flame billow between the perches overlooking the tankard of water – which is now boiling hot.<br/><br/>"This ain't a high school ropes course," Hiyori smirks at a stunned Ichigo. "Now, on your mark... Go!"<br/><br/>Lisa dashes forward, her long legs striding with the grace of a gazelle while Ichigo struggles to keep pace. The Substitute Shinigami yelps as he haphazardly dodges the whirring blades, squeals when he narrowly flits between the smashing hammers, and feels his heart sink as Lisa bounds ahead of him on the platforms overlooking the bubbling tank.<br/><br/><em>I'm not gonna make it</em>, he thinks. <em>Unless</em>...<br/><br/>Ichigo leaps forward, unsheathing Zangetsu from his back. "Bankai!" he cries out, drawing alarmed looks from everyone present. He explodes into a torrent of Reiatsu and emerges in his sleek new form, his butcher knife of a blade condensed down to an elongated katana. He bounds forward, whirrs past a stunned Lisa, and places his baton in Kensei's hand.<br/><br/>The white-haired Visored grins, giving a nod. "By the way, kid – your Hollow's manifesting," Kensei says before pivoting and dashing across the course.<br/><br/>Ichigo clutches at his face with alarm, feeling the white coalesce across his features. <em>No, not again</em>! he thinks, feeling his sense of control vanishing.<br/><br/>Shinji, Hiyori, Lisa, and Love are upon him in a flash, their blades crossed across his neck while Hachi casts a cube of Kidō over them all. Shinji dexterously shoves the tip of his blade to Ichigo's mask, shattering it.<br/><br/>"At this stage, it's a bad idea for you to ever go Bankai, kid," Shinji advises. "Use your head next time."<br/><br/>Ichigo gasps for air, grasping at his face while all of the Visoreds gaze at him with curiosity.<br/><br/><em>His speed is incredible – and then his Reiatsu spiked sky-high when he started Hollowfying</em>, Lisa thinks. <em>Just who is this kid?</em><br/><br/>"Hey!" Kensei cries out, sitting atop a towering platform at the other end of the warehouse, clutching the victory flag. "I win!"</p><p> </p><p>
  
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. ARRANCAR ARRIVAL: Enter the Pantera</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Grimmjow makes his move, the Gotei 13 suffers a loss, and Ichigo reclaims the crown.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p> <iframe></iframe></p><p><b>- THE OUTSKIRTS OF LAS NOCHES -</b><br/>
A crab-like Hollow skids across the sand, frantically fleeing for its life. Yammy Riyalgo stomps his foot atop it, cracking the poor creature's shell. The Arrancar leans down and takes in a deep, sucking breath, draining the Hollow of its soul. The Dėcima Espada lets out an obscene belch and pats his bloated stomach, trudging forward to continue feasting on more fleeing Hollows.<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow watches from a nearby tower: situating himself atop an enormous blood-red cylinder affixed into the sand. The Sexta Espada seethes, quietly ridiculing Yammy for wasting good food just to rejuvenate his pathetic self.<br/>
<br/>
"That clumsy piece of shit goes and makes a mockery of all Arrancar, and now he's feasting like he's earned it," he grits, the jawbone affixed to his face clenching taut against his cheek.<br/>
<br/>
"Lord Aizen should have sent you instead of Ulquiorra and that disgrace," chimes in Edrad Liones, Grimmjow's closest confidante. The enormous Arrancar lounges alongside his master, joined by the other members of the Fracción: Yylfordt Morbun and Di-Roy Rinker.<br/>
<br/>
"Ulquiorra's caution will be our downfall," Yylfordt comments, stretching out on the tower's flat summit. "If the human boy was enough of a pest to draw Lord Aizen's attention, then he ought to have been squashed. Failure to do so was sheer incompetence."<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow continues to stew. "That kid's eyes," he seethes, drawing curious looks from his subordinates. "They didn't sit right with me..."<br/>
<br/>
The Sexta Espada is contemplative for a beat, then orders his three Fracción members to prepare for battle. "Tonight, we have a feast of our own."</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>- KARAKURA HIGH SCHOOL -</b><br/>
<br/>
It's been six days since the Arrancar attack in Karakura park, and five since Ichigo began undergoing his "initiation ritual" with the Visoreds. He slumps in his chair, exhausted after the succession of midnight meetups. It's also the first day that Orihime has returned to class, and Chizuru is beside herself at the sight of her favorite goddess looking bandaged up. Tatsuki, who is also still bandaged after sustaining injuries from that mysterious earthquake at Karakura Park, gazes at her best friend with passivity before casting Ichigo a suspicious look. He internally winces at the scrutiny, knowing that Tatsuki's too astute to not start asking questions.<br/>
<br/>
<em>First Karin, now Tatsuki</em>, he thinks. <em>I don't know how much longer I can keep this from them.</em><br/>
<br/>
The class falls into hushed silence as they hear a commotion in the hallway. A troop of new "exchange students" burst into the room, drawing slack-jawed astonishment from Ichigo: it's Rukia, Renji, Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, and Rangiku Matsumoto. All six Shinigami have been fitted within Gigais and clad in school uniforms.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, hellooooo Ichigo," Rukia says with singsong friendliness. "Long time since we saw you at the debate club."<br/>
<br/>
"Debate club?!" Keigo pipes in, sensing social interaction that he wasn't privy to. "Since when have you ever joined any club, Ichigo? Have you been doing extracurriculars without me?!"<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo swats Keigo across the face and pulls Rukia out into the hallway, demanding to know why she and the others have barged into his school.<br/>
<br/>
Meanwhile, his classmates regard the Shinigami with hushed astonishment, the rumor mill generating in real time. Orihime decides to take charge of the situation. She rises from her seat, announcing the names of each of the Shinigami and telling the class that she too knows them all from "debate club."<br/>
<br/>
"When were you part of a debate club?!" Chizuru pipes up. "Orihime, how many times have I offered to tutor you in debating?!"<br/>
<br/>
Tatsuki watches the mayhem unfold with annoyance. <em>Whoever these people are</em>, she thinks, <em>they seem to know Ichigo and Orihime better than I do, anymore</em>.<br/>
<br/>
Renji, meanwhile, recognizes Chad and says hello. Mizuiro, observing the interaction, leans over to Keigo and whispers "So was Sado invited to this debate club while we weren't, or what?"<br/>
<br/>
Rukia explains to Ichigo that the two Arrancar who attacked the World of the Living six days ago had visited Soul Society right before, and that the Gotei 13 has been mobilizing to respond to Aizen's new threat. She reveals that, after much deliberation, Central 46 granted Yamamoto permission to dispatch several Shinigami to Karakura Town to patrol for any new developments.<br/>
<br/>
"What's wrong, Ichigo?" the Shinigami adds. "Is it so terrible to see us all?"<br/>
<br/>
"Of course not," Ichigo says moodily. "I'm glad you're here."<br/>
<br/>
Rukia leans forward, almost conspiratorially: "Is it your Hollow?" she asks in a hushed whisper.<br/>
<br/>
"I'm handling it."<br/>
<br/>
"Good," Rukia says, hands on her hips. "I haven't told Captain Hitsugaya or anyone else, of course."<br/>
<br/>
"Thank you, Rukia. It's... I'm really glad you're here."<br/>
<br/>
Rukia smiles and jokingly grazes her fist lightly over Ichigo's chin. "No more slacking, you got it? Your sensei is back with a vengeance."<br/>
<br/>
The two friends return to class. Orihime looks up from chatting with Rangiku and sees the warmth shared between Ichigo and Rukia. She feels a twinge of a horrible feeling: jealousy. This is the first time she's seen Ichigo smile since the attack.<br/>
<br/>
Tatsuki observes the look of concern on Orihime's face. <em>You're a damn idiot, Ichigo</em>, she thinks.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo enters his home – through the door this time. Karin leans out from the kitchen, polishing a plate. She frowns at him.<br/>
<br/>
"Your 'debate club' friend is waiting in your room," she informs him with a healthy dose of sulk.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo slings his backpack off, taken aback. He had come straight home from school – Rukia already beat him here?<br/>
<br/>
"You should warn us next time before you invite strangers over to the house," Karin adds with a huff before stomping back into the kitchen.<br/>
<br/>
"What's with the attitude?" Ichigo asks, annoyed.<br/>
<br/>
"Karin's just mad because father grounded her for torturing your doll," Yuzu calls out from the couch. "Siblings should respect each other's toys!"<br/>
<br/>
"Kon's not my –" Ichigo protests before catching himself. He blushes with humiliation. "Never mind."<br/>
<br/>
He escapes up to his room, which is conspicuously empty. He opens up his closet, unsurprised to discover Rukia rummaging around. She complains that he's changed her sleeping quarters for the worse. He asks her to explain why she's followed him back to his home – to which the remaining Shinigami crew bursts through the insulation in his ceiling. Shenanigans ensue, and Ichigo irately asks for a full debriefing on what's going on.<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya pipes up from Ichigo's window, one of his legs hanging out of the sill. The captain recounts the history of Arrancar and the classifications of Menos: Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde.<br/>
<br/>
"When Aizen made off with the Hōgyoku, we thought we'd have more time before he used it to create his Arrancar army," Hitsugaya says. "We were wrong: Aizen didn't start recruiting Arrancar in the past few months. Clearly, he's been amassing a force in Hueco Mundo for untold years. The Arrancar who interrupted the Royal Tournament were too developed for this not to be the case. It turns out Aizen's had an even bigger head-start in this war than we feared. And he seems to be interested in you, Kurosaki Ichigo."</p><p>"Me?" Ichigo says surprisedly. "Why?"</p><p>"The Captain-Commander wondered that himself," Hitsugaya replies. "Perhaps you can enlighten us. Do you have any idea as to why Aizen would be intrigued by you?"</p><p>Ichigo thinks of his inner Hollow and the Visoreds. He decides not to share any of that with Hitsugaya.<br/>
<br/>
"Beats me," the Substitute Shinigami answers. "He kicked my butt pretty badly back on Sōkyoku Hill. Maybe he just wants to finish the job?"<br/>
<br/>
"I doubt it," Hitsugaya replies, glaring at Ichigo inquisitively. "Well, while we wait to find out, please report anything irregular to me. Including any encounter you have with Urahara Kisuke."<br/>
<br/>
<em>Urahara</em>? Ichigo is surprised, then recalls to himself when Aizen spoke of how the shopkeeper was a Soul Society exile.<br/>
<br/>
"From here on out, you're working directly with Soul Society," Hitsugaya concludes. "Our mission is to protect this town. I trust you'll want to do everything in your power to help us succeed."<br/>
<br/>
Renji announces that he will try and gain an audience with Urahara Kisuke. Ikkaku and Yumichika decide they'd prefer to sleep out on the streets while Rangiku plans to stay at Orihime's apartment. Rukia has already assumed she'll be sleeping in Ichigo's closet, which draws protestations from the Substitute Shinigami. There is a particular reason why he doesn't want to host Rukia.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Tonight's the night</em>, Ichigo thinks. <em>I need to get away and meet up with Shinji</em>.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo watches in astonishment as Rukia delivers a weepy sob story to Isshin and Yuzu, who both heartily agree that she can stay with them for as long as she wants. They even go so far as to welcome her as an unofficial new daughter in the family. Checking the time, Ichigo suggests that Yuzu show Rukia "tea time."<br/>
<br/>
"Tea what?" Rukia asks as Yuzu excitedly grasps her by the hand and whisks her away.<br/>
<br/>
"Welcome to the family," Ichigo replies. "Enjoy your stay."<br/>
<br/>
"I'm proud of you, son," Isshin says, watching Yuzu drag Rukia upstairs. "Your first lady friend!"<br/>
<br/>
"What?" Ichigo says annoyedly. "I've had plenty of friends who are girls. Tatsuki, Orihime..."<br/>
<br/>
"No, I mean intimate friend," Isshin replies. "Soon enough she'll be my new daughter through matrimony. I can feel –"<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo kicks his father's square jaw, sending him barreling across the kitchen. "Gross," he grumbles before heading up to his room.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Rukia sits in stunned silence as Yuzu pours her an imaginary cup of tea. They are seated before a plastic table, an assortment of dolls lined up beside them.<br/>
<br/>
"Now, extend out the pinky," Yuzu instructs as she lifts her empty, plastic cup. "And blow before you sip."<br/>
<br/>
<em>Is this... a test</em>? Rukia thinks with alarm. Not one to fail a challenge, she complies and performs the ritual with the upmost dedication.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Shinji tears off the blindfold from Ichigo, who is once again woozy after enduring whatever discombobulation the Visored put him through. He regains his composure.<br/>
<br/>
"Dang," Love grumbles when he sees that Ichigo won't be throwing up this time. He quietly hands Kensei a wad of yen, having lost the bet.<br/>
<br/>
"Alright, I've undergone all your trials," Ichigo says before the crew. "Now it's your turn to deliver."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo recounts the past few nights of "trials": first there was the obstacle race with Kensei. The next night, he had to help Love organize his massive manga collection by the very convoluted order of the Visored's preference of art style, which turned out to be very finicky. On the third night, he helped Hiyori scrub every inch of the warehouse – having to endure her very spirited instruction style. The following night, he played a marathon of Koi Koi hosted by Hachi, who won every single time like a pro hustler. Then there was the final night, during which he had to stomach karaoke sessions with Lisa. She has a lovely signing voice – his not so much.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo had wondered all along what the point of these trials were. Every time he asked, Shinji would explain "Just shut the fuck up and do it."<br/>
<br/>
Now the time has come for the final trial: the Hollow Suppression training. Hachi casts several dense Kidõ barriers while Shinji nods to Ichigo. "A deal's a deal, kid," the Visored says. "I hope you're ready."</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Orihime has agreed to house Rangiku, although she wasn't sure if she ever had any choice in the matter. Both of them begin a rather lovely sleepover, with Rangiku enjoying Orihime's infamous cooking and then having a nice bath. Orihime confesses to Rangiku that she feels jealous of how effortlessly Rukia makes Ichigo happy. She feels incredibly selfish, but Rangiku assures her that she's merely undergoing the pangs of growing up.<br/>
<br/>
Meanwhile, Urahara, Jinta, and Ururu stick their heads out of the entrance of their shop, alarmed to see that Renji is still sitting across the street, patiently waiting for admittance.<br/>
<br/>
At the Kurosaki household, Rukia tucks Yuzu to sleep. She smiles at the slumbering girl, having enjoyed their tea time together.<br/>
<br/>
"So are you a Shinigami, too?" Karin asks.<br/>
<br/>
Rukia, startled, turns around to see Karin standing in the doorway, still in the midst of brushing her teeth.<br/>
<br/>
"What did you say?" Rukia asks incredulously.<br/>
<br/>
"I've seen you around here before," Karin says between brush strokes, casting Rukia a suspicious look. "I know Dad and Yuzu think this is your first time, but I recognize you. Ichigo keeps playing dumb, but I know a ghost when I see one."<br/>
<br/>
Rukia weighs the pros and cons of coming clean. "You have quite an imagination," she concludes, making her way past the sulking Karin and into Ichigo's room. There, she finds Kon inhabiting her pupil's body.<br/>
<br/>
"Kon?" Rukia asks, detecting the mod soul from the jump. "Where's Ichigo?"<br/>
<br/>
"Uhhhhhh..." Kon replies, struggling to come up with a sufficient lie. "Out getting laid, maybe?"<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ikkaku and Yumichika lounge atop the Karakura skyline, marveling at the abundance of rice balls in the World of the Living. Meanwhile, Tōshirō Hitsugaya sits on the rooftop of Orihime's apartment complex. While he prefers the solitude, he begrudgingly wonders to himself if the human girl has air conditioning.<br/>
<br/>
There's a twinge. A thickening of the air. Hitsugaya perks up, sensing that four Reiatsu signatures have entered the World of the Living – attempting to mask their presence. The captain hurriedly pops a Soul Candy and bursts from his Gigai. He orders his Mod Soul to enter Orihime's apartment and secure the door, then radios Soul Society.<br/>
<br/>
"SDRI, come in," Hitsugaya whispers urgently into the communications link implanted in his wrist, calling on the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. "I'm detecting potential hostiles. Deactivate my Limiter immediately. I repeat, deactivate –"<br/>
<br/>
Three shadows launch onto Hitsugaya in a flash of Sonído, pummeling him from all directions. The captain reaches for his Zanpakutō, only for a fourth figure to snatch up his wrist and twist it with a snap. Hitsugaya hisses in pain as his attacker pulls him in close, malice in their eyes.<br/>
<br/>
"Consider this a proper introduction to the Arrancar, Shinigami!" Grimmjow grins before tossing the captain to his Fracción. Di-Roy Rinker and Yylfordt Morbun grasp Tōshirō by his arms and pull them wide, giving Edrad Liones free rein to unleash an endless barrage of punches. Hitsugaya grimaces, blood spraying from the nicks and contusions being smashed into his delicate features. Edrad reduces the captain to pulp, then gives him a finishing strike to the gut. Di-Roy and Yylfordt release, snickering as they watch the Shinigami collapse onto the rooftop.<br/>
<br/>
"That was the strongest Shinigami here in the World of the Living?" Edrad grumbles. "Disappointing."<br/>
<br/>
"I can't feel that human kid," Grimmjow grits, his Pesquisa unable to breach the barrier of the Visoreds' hideout. "Spread out, track down everyone with Spiritual Awareness, and make 'em a stain. We pull out all the weeds tonight. Yylfordt – I sense another Shinigami on this block. Stomp out the midget and then deal with them."<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow, Di-Roy, and Edrad dash away, leaving Yylfordt gazing down at the unconscious Hitsugaya. The Arrancar unsheathes his sword.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ikkaku snaps to attention, sensing that his Limiter has been deactivated. "How come SDRI's taking the brakes off?" the Third Seat wonders to Yumichika. Both get their answer when they feel four heavy Reiatsu signatures flare in the distance, near where Captain Hitsugaya and Rangiku are situated.<br/>
<br/>
"We got ourselves an ambush," Ikkaku grins, unsheathing his Zanpakutō. "It's about time there was some ass kicking!"<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo senses Captain Hitsugaya's Reiatsu taking a nosedive. He can feel the hostiles' presence in Karakura Town.<br/>
<br/>
"The Arrancar are back," he whispers gravely.<br/>
<br/>
"There's four of them, spreading out," Shinji nods. "Their timing couldn't be any worse."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo draws Zangetsu, readying to leave the warehouse.<br/>
<br/>
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Love interjects. "Going out to fight in your state would be suicide. You're prime to pop."<br/>
<br/>
"It's true," Lisa concurs, arms crossed. "You need to complete your Hollow Suppression training if you want to see any combat. Otherwise you're going to Hollowfy after the slightest exertion."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo ignores both of them, striding determinedly for the exit. "Hachi – let me through the barrier."<br/>
<br/>
Shinji catches Ichigo by the shoulder. The Substitute Shinigami whirls around, anger in his eyes.<br/>
<br/>
"I'm not going to compromise your hideout if that's your concern," Ichigo grits. "Those monsters are out there attacking my friends. You can't force me to just stand by."<br/>
<br/>
"If you go out there, you'll pose a bigger risk to this town than all of those Arrancar, kid," Shinji says gravely. "You ain't ready. We're not gonna stop you, but this is a mistake."<br/>
<br/>
"Sitting on the sidelines would be the mistake," Ichigo retorts, wresting his shoulder away. "I'm not gonna be a spectator like you."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Yylfordt levitates down until his feet rest on the rooftop. He readies to plunge his Zanpakutō into Hitsugaya's back – then feels someone lunging at him from the side.<br/>
<br/>
The Arrancar flips, Rangiku's Haineko narrowly missing him. The Lieutenant puts herself between the Arrancar and her captain, her eyes narrowed with indignant fury.<br/>
<br/>
"Well, well," Yylfordt grins, sensing Rangiku's unsealed Reiatsu. "Seems like you'll put up more of a fight that pathetic heap behind you."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p>Tatsuki is walking home, making a habit of nighttime strolls. She grimaces with each step, her body still sore from that mysterious event at the park. She has felt profoundly lonely lately, sensing that her closest friends have been lying to her.</p><p><em>Ichigo, Orihime... what are you hiding from me?</em> <br/>
<br/>
She halts, sensing a mounting presence nearing – like a volcano that's about to erupt. Suddenly, the brick wall lining the sidewalk before her bursts apart, Ikkaku and Edrad launching through it. Tatsuki yelps, falling back flat on her ass as the two warriors tangle on the street.<br/>
<br/>
"You're a big boy!" Ikkaku grins, blood dripping from the broad cut on his polished dome. "Got a name?"<br/>
<br/>
"What use is a name to a dead man?!" Edrad roars before flash-stepping before the Shinigami and swinging his fist down. Ikkaku leaps up, dodging the strike and watching the Arrancar's fist sink into the pavement.<br/>
<br/>
"You and I have different ideas about etiquette," Ikkaku chides, landing smoothly behind Edrad. "Always disclose your name to your victims. Everyone has the right to know who their killer is."<br/>
<br/>
Edrad whirls around and swings his Zanpakutō, only for his blade to lock against the edge of Ikkaku's Hōzukimaru.<br/>
<br/>
"I am the third seat of Eleventh Division: Madarame Ikkaku," the Shinigami continues. "See? Now you'll know who put you to sleep."<br/>
<br/>
Tatsuki watches wide-eyed as the two swordsmen slash at each other with percussive power. She recognizes the baldie – he had stormed into her classroom that morning. "What was his name...?" she asks herself in a daze.<br/>
<br/>
"His name is Ikkaku Madarame," Yumichika Ayasegawa chimes in, striding up beside the schoolgirl. "He is the second most powerful man in the most feared division of Soul Society."<br/>
<br/>
Tatsuki recognizes Yumichika, too.</p><p>"You!" she gasps. "Why... why are you just standing there? Help him!"</p><p>"Are you kidding?" Yumichika replies dryly, passively watching Ikkaku and Edrad tearing up the street. "Ikkaku hasn't had an opponent like this in a long time. See how happy he looks? I wouldn't dare spoil his fun."</p><p>"The hell is wrong with you?!" Tatsuki frowns. "What if he gets himself killed?"</p><p>"Then I suppose he'll die happy," Yumichika answers.</p>
<hr/><p>Chad runs out of his apartment, sensing an incoming Reiatsu signature. He halts, unnerved at the sight of the serrated-toothed Arrancar gazing down at him from a rooftop.<br/>
<br/>
"You're no Shinigami," Di-Roy Rinker growls, disappointed. "Aw, well. I'll just have to make short work you!"<br/>
<br/>
Di-Roy flash-steps in a burst of Sonído, lunging his hand forward to puncture the human's chest. He gasps when Chad catches his fist.<br/>
<br/>
"If you thought you only had to worry about the Shinigami... then you came here dangerously ignorant," Chad grits, his <em>Brazo Derecha de Gigante</em> activated. <br/>
<br/>
He squeezes, crushing Di-Roy's fingers. The Arrancar howls in pain, responding with a vicious kick. Chad skids across the alleyway, crashing into a dumpster. He struggles back up, clutching at his side. Two of his ribs are cracked. Di-Roy holds up his mangled hand, cackling while his fingers slowly snap back into joint.<br/>
<br/>
"We Arrancar have high-speed regeneration," Di-Roy hisses. "Tell me, human – are your bones gonna un-break themselves anytime soon?!"<br/>
<br/>
Di-Roy unsheathes his Zanpakutõ and leaps at Chad, only for Rukia to flash-step before him and meet his strike. </p><p>"And who are you?" the Arrancar frowns.<br/>
<br/>
"Kuchiki Rukia of the 13th Division, and former patrolman of Karakura Town," she answers. "You're in my jurisdiction, Arrancar!"<br/>
<br/>
Both of them begin to parry and slash at each other while Chad watches in awe. He has never seen Rukia fight before – her technique is impressive.<br/>
<br/>
"You're not even a seated Shinigami," Di-Roy hisses between lunges and ripostes at Rukia. "I didn't come here to collect the head of a nobody!"<br/>
<br/>
Rukia responds with a sword swing, driving the Arrancar skidding back.</p><p>"Nobody, huh?" she repeats with an arched brow. She holds her Zanpakutō before her and turns it in a counter-clockwise motion. "<em>Dance, Sode no Shirayuki</em>!"<br/>
<br/>
Rukia's blade transforms into a bone-white Katana: the most beautiful Zanpakutō in Soul Society.<br/>
<br/>
"You will regret insulting a member of the 13th Division," Rukia says gravely. "We do not suffer slander lightly."<br/>
<br/>
Di-Roy readies to pounce once again, but Rukia has already flash-stepped behind him.<br/>
<br/>
"Dance Number One: Tsukishiro," she says softly as a circle of frost materializes beneath Di-Roy's feet.<br/>
<br/>
The Arrancar fretfully launches up into the sky, trying to control his adrenaline as he leers down at Rukia.</p><p>"Nice try!" he hisses. "Setting a trap in the ground ain't nothing, but too bad I fight best in the air!"<br/>
<br/>
Di-Roy launches back down towards his prey, only to realize too late that the circle Rukia formed on the ground has been charging with Reiatsu. A beam of frost launches up and encases the Arrancar, freezing him solid before he can even scream.<br/>
<br/>
"You lack imagination, don't you?" Rukia grins.<br/>
<br/>
Di-Roy bristles within his prison. <em>Very funny, Shinigami,</em> he thinks. <em>All I need to do is release my Ressurrección to break out of here, and then</em> –<br/>
<br/>
Di-Roy doesn't see Renji's Zabimaru whipping at him. The segmented blade cuts clean across the pillar of ice, bisecting the Arrancar's frozen body. Di-Roy shatters into infinitesimal pieces along with his frosty prison.<br/>
<br/>
Renji leaps off from the rooftop, landing before Rukia.<br/>
<br/>
"It's been a while since I've seen that Shikai," he grins at her, motioning to Sode no Shirayuki. "It's as beautiful as I remember."<br/>
<br/>
He catches himself, imperceptibly blushing as Rukia turns her attention to Sado.<br/>
<br/>
"Chad, are you alright?" she asks, helping him to his feet.<br/>
<br/>
"It's just a couple of ribs," Chad replies with a grimace. "Thank you, Rukia."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Yylfordt scowls when he senses his comrade's death. "Dammit, Di-Roy," the Arrancar curses. "You were always the runt amongst us."<br/>
<br/>
Rangiku glowers at him, a laceration carved into her shoulder. She breaths heavily, on guard while Hitsugaya remains motionless behind her.<br/>
<br/>
"You're already a man down," Rangiku says. "Starting to get second thoughts?"<br/>
<br/>
"Di-Roy's power was as meagre as his intelligence," Yylfordt smirks back. "He's no great loss, and his defeat is hardly a bellwether for the tide of battle. Grimmjow alone could crush all of you with little trouble."<br/>
<br/>
"Grimmjow?" Rangiku repeats back, brow arched.<br/>
<br/>
"One of the Espada," Yylfordt elaborates with a smirk.</p><p>"Who are the Espada?"</p><p>"Lord Aizen's mightiest Arrancar," Yylfordt gloats. "Ten warriors, their strength ranked by descending order. Grimmjow is the sixth, and there is no doubt he is the boldest of them all."<br/>
<br/>
Yylfordt gives an elaborate bow, announcing "I am Yylfordt Morbun, proud Fracción member to the Sexta Espada! Now tell me, who is that pathetic creature you're protecting, Shinigami?"<br/>
<br/>
"He is Captain Hitsugaya Tōshirō of the Tenth Division," Rangiku grits. "I am Lieutenant Matsumoto Rangiku, and I will kill you before you lay another hand on him!"<br/>
<br/>
"That child is a captain?" Yylfordt says with surprise. "Well well... it seems that we had nothing to fear from all you Shinigami."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Edrad is flummoxed by Ikkaku's fighting style. He notices that the Shinigami keeps making himself vulnerable, luring him in to make a killing blow, only to shift gears at the last possible moment and lash out. Ikkaku lands a slash across Edrad's face while losing two of his teeth in the bargain. The Arrancar realizes that he is dealing with a warrior who fights for sport. He resorts to releasing his Resurrección: Volcanica.<br/>
<br/>
"So, you consider it good manners to introduce yourself to your victims, huh?" the Arrancar grins, his arms transformed into enormous slabs of volcanic rock. "Well I am Edrad Liones, the strongest Fracción member to the Sexta Espada!"<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Renji slings Chad's arm over his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
"The others still need help," Rukia announces, sheathing her Zanpakutō. "Renji, let's get Chad to safety and –"<br/>
<br/>
"What's this?" a voice calls out from the rooftop above. "Di-Roy already got himself killed?"<br/>
<br/>
Chad, Renji, and Rukia feel a massive Reiatsu blanket over them. They gaze up to see Grimmjow staring down at them.<br/>
<br/>
"Ah, well," the Espada grins nonchalantly. "I suppose I'll just have to avenge him. Name's Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the Sexta Espada!"<br/>
<br/>
The Arrancar levitates down, stepping onto the alleyway. "Nice to meet you, Shinigami! Tell me, who among you is the strongest?"<br/>
<br/>
The trio are frozen in fear while Grimmjow surveys each of them with his piercing blue eyes. He sizes Chad up.</p><p>"It ain't you," he remarks, his gaze flickering over to Rukia. He grins.<br/>
<br/>
"Renji!" Rukia cries out. "Retre–"<br/>
<br/>
She chokes on her words when Grimmjow thrusts his fist into her gut.<br/>
<br/>
"It ain't you, either," Grimmjow continues.<br/>
<br/>
Renji roars with rage. Both he and Chad launch at the Arrancar.<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow rips his bloody hand out from Rukia and pounces on Chad, slamming him down into the concrete with a crunch. He swings around and blocks a swing of Zabimaru with his forearm. Renji is horrified when his Shikai grinds ineffectually against the Arrancar's wrist.<br/>
<br/>
"You can't even breach my Hierro!" Grimmjow laughs with maniacal amusement. "I suppose you ain't the strongest, either!"<br/>
<br/>
He presses his other hand to Renji's chest and fires a Cero, launching the Shinigami from the alleyway and crashing into a vacant office across the street. The structure erupts, the entrance blown to smithereens.<br/>
<br/>
Rukia is bleeding out on the ground. She feels Grimmjow press his foot to the back of her head, grinding her face into the pavement.<br/>
<br/>
"Are you gonna tell me where the strongest fighter is hiding?" the Arrancar asks. "Or am I gonna need to crack your head wide open?"<br/>
<br/>
The Espada feels a flutter of air and leaps aside, Ichigo's swing narrowly missing him. The Substitute Shinigami skids across the ground and turns back around, red-hot fury in his eyes. <br/>
<br/>
"There you are!" Grimmjow beams.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Yumichika passively watches as Edrad pummels Ikkaku around. The Arrancar's oversized fists light with flame, engulfing the bald Shinigami in a blaze.<br/>
<br/>
"That monster is going to kill him," Tatsuki worries.<br/>
<br/>
Yumichika doesn't argue with her.<br/>
<br/>
Ikkaku struggles to regain his footing, repeatedly thrown around by Edrad. He finally releases his Shikai, brandishing his tasseled spear. Edrad responds with another fiery punch, cracking the staff apart and driving the Shinigami into the ground. The Arrancar swings his fist after him, delivering what he believes to be a killing strike. He is taken aback when Ikkaku is able to hold his fist at bay.<br/>
<br/>
"I suppose everyone else will be too busy to notice this," the Shinigami pants, blood streaming down his charred body. "I didn't want to have to use this. Dammit, this isn't fair!... Watch carefully, Arrancar. But don't you dare tell a soul!"<br/>
<br/>
Ikkaku forces Edrad back with a shove and smashes the splintered halves of his spear back together, crying out "Bankai! <strong>Ryūmon Hōzukimaru</strong>!"<br/>
<br/>
There is an explosion of wind, prompting a smile from Yumichika. Edrad watches in astonishment as Ikkaku emerges from the torrent, heaving an enormous spade and a guandao in his hands. The Arrancar praises the Shinigami's new weaponry. Ikkaku disregards the compliment, noting that his Reiatsu isn't anything special yet.<br/>
<br/>
The two combatants launch at each other again, this time trading blows on equal footing. Edrad grimaces as Ikkaku's blades nick at his Hierro, drawing blood. In return, the Arrancar continues to singe and bruise the Shinigami with his strikes. Edrad notices that Ikkaku's power is gradually increasing. He decides he must end the battle quickly.<br/>
<br/>
"You're starting to catch on, huh?" Ikkaku grins, noting how the dragon engraved in the axe blade affixed to his shoulders is glowing brighter with every swing. The Shinigami explains how his Bankai requires the mounting bloodlust of battle to get going: it has finally charged to its full potential.<br/>
<br/>
Edrad frowns, letting exhaust steam blast from his elbows. He summons all of his Reiatsu for one final strike.<br/>
<br/>
"What was your name again, warrior?" Edrad asks.<br/>
<br/>
"Madarame Ikkaku," the Shinigami grins, the rush of combat shining in his eyes.<br/>
<br/>
"Edrad Liones," the Arrancar replies.<br/>
<br/>
There is a long silence, and then the two bloodied combatants charge at each other with full force. There is a collision and then a brilliant explosion erupting in the nighttime sky.<br/>
<br/>
Yumichika's eyes widen as he watches from the ground. He instantly understands what has happened.<br/>
<br/>
"Madarame... Ikkaku, huh?" Edrad smiles, his entire right side shorn off. "I'm glad I asked."<br/>
<br/>
The Arrancar draws his final breath and plummets from the sky, crashing into a vacant lot below.<br/>
<br/>
Ikkaku holds up the splintered shards of his Zanpakutō in his hands. He watches as the haft disintegrates in his grip. That can only mean one thing.<br/>
<br/>
"Aw, shit..." the third seat says with a wistful smile. He heaves forward, a slash encompassing his entire chest and back ripping apart and spurting blood in all directions. The Shinigami falls limply from the sky and lands yards away from Yumichika and Tatsuki, cracking the pavement.<br/>
<br/>
Tatsuki gasps, gazing at the motionless Ikkaku. Yumichika wordlessly strides up to him and kneels down to inspect his pulse.<br/>
<br/>
Tatsuki can see Ikkaku's eyes – they are completely devoid of light.<br/>
<br/>
"Is he...?"<br/>
<br/>
"Go home, girl," Yumichika replies curtly. "Forget what you saw tonight."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Yylfordt turns in shock and gazes out towards the direction where Edrad had been fighting.<br/>
<br/>
"Edrad is down?!" the Arrancar hisses under his breath.<br/>
<br/>
He pivots back and parries a slash from Rangiku. The Shinigami is visibly upset, sensing what has happened to Ikkaku. Both fighters press their weight on their interlocked blades, staring each other down.<br/>
<br/>
"You underestimated us, Arrancar," Rangiku grits. "Now there will be no mercy for you."<br/>
<br/>
Yylfordt snorts with indignation and flash-steps several yards back. He holds his sword aloft.<br/>
<br/>
"You won't talk so impudently when I've ground your bones into dust, Shinigami," he says tersely, readying to release. "Skew–"<br/>
<br/>
A torrent of ice fires over Rangiku's shoulder and whips onto Yylfordt's arms, freezing his katana to his palms. The Arrancar looks down at the ice cube that was formerly blade, then back up at Rangiku. He sees Tōshirō Hitsugaya trudging up from behind her, his Zanpakutō outstretched.<br/>
<br/>
"Thank you for protecting me, Lieutenant Matsumoto," the captain says, grimacing from his wounds. "Now, Arrancar –"<br/>
<br/>
Yylfordt flash-steps away, dashing across the rooftops in retreat. Hitsugaya angrily readies to give chase, but doubles over in pain. Rangiku catches him.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo swings the wide blade of Zangetsu against Grimmjow. The Espada catches the edge against his wrist and frowns. With a flex of his Reiatsu, he sends Ichigo flying back.<br/>
<br/>
"Hey!" Grimmjow grits. "Are you pulling your swings, Shinigami? I didn't come here to swat you away like a fly. Stop wasting my time and release your Bankai."<br/>
<br/>
<em>Shit</em>, Ichigo thinks. <em>He's strong. I can't beat him like this, but if I release any more power</em>...<br/>
<br/>
"Either make this interesting..." Grimmjow threatens, jutting his thumb back at Rukia's crumpled body. "... or I'll put a fuckin' hole in you just like I did to that little Shinigami."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo is blistering mad, now. He lunges at Grimmjow once again, swinging his blade with all of his might. The Espada meets the slash with his fist, deflecting it with the slightest nick on his knuckle. He kicks Ichigo up towards the sky, then launches up to meet our somersaulting hero. The Arrancar flips into another kick that connects against Ichio's chest, sending him crashing back down into Karakura Town with a shockwave. Grimmjow, elated, jostles back and forth in the air, reveling in his own prowess. He launches down in a dive down towards his prey, realizing too late that a black current of Reiatsu is firing up at him.<br/>
<br/>
There is an explosion. The smoke clears, revealing Grimmjow with his arms crossed over his chest. There is a bloody slash where the Getsuga Tenshō hit him, stretching over his torso. The Espada grins, lowering his arms and gazing down at his opponent.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo is panting within the crater of his own making, his broad Zanpakutō transformed into a black katana. He released his Bankai and shot his strongest attack in an act of desperation.<br/>
<br/>
"That's more like it, Shinigami!" Grimmjow grins wide. "There's the power that interested Lord Aizen! Now you're worth killing."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo feels his blood run cold as the Espada reaches for his sheathed Zanpakutō. <em>I needed that attack to end it</em>, he thinks, a swirl of black flickering in his eyes. He can feel the monster rising within him. <em>I can't win</em>!<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow's hand is stayed when Kaname Tōsen flash-steps behind him.<br/>
<br/>
"Sheathe your sword, Grimmjow," Tōsen says softly. "You have disobeyed Lord Aizen's command – a grievous offense. We shall return to Hueco Mundo, where your punishment will be decided."<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow's eyes widen at the threat. He begrudgingly digs his hands into his pockets and follows Tōsen to the Garganta. Ichigo is incredulous.<br/>
<br/>
"Wait!" the Substitute Shinigami cries out. "You're running away? Get your ass back down here, Arrancar!"<br/>
<br/>
"Cut the shit!" Grimmjow barks back. "You can barely suppress your Hollow right now, Shinigami."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo gasps. <em>How does he know... about the Hollow</em>?!<br/>
<br/>
"You only have one more of those attacks left in you before you tip over," Grimmjow continues irately. "And even if you could maintain that level, my Resurrección would wipe you out. Your life's been spared by luck, Shinigami! Remember that Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez came here tonight and outclassed you. Next time you won't catch a break."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo gazes up wide-eyed as the Garganta closes around Grimmjow and Tōsen. The Espada's eyes shine with maniacal bloodlust. "Until then, Shinigami!"<br/>
<br/>
The portal snaps shut, followed by eerie silence. Ichigo is nauseous, then feels a surge – he claps a hand over his mouth, only for white bile to spray out from between his fingers.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Oh, no!</em> he thinks as the viscous white empties out, enveloping his face before adhering to his features. He wretches back, his panicked scream morphing from the cry of a frightened boy to an otherworldly screech.<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya and Rangiku touch down yards away. The captain looks on in horror as Ichigo turns to gaze back at him with monstrous eyes, a white mask of pure malevolence encasing his face.<br/>
<br/>
"Ichigo..." Hitsugaya gasps. "He's... Hollowfying."<br/>
<br/>
Rangiku is at a loss for words. There is nothing more terrifying than the sight of Hollowfication. She knows what this means – the boy must be put down.<br/>
<br/>
"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Hitsugaya says solemnly, gripping his Hyōrinmaru tightly. "There's no helping you."<br/>
<br/>
The captain takes a step forward, Rangiku watching in heartbroken resignation. They are both startled when six shadowy figures descend around Ichigo.<br/>
<br/>
"Hachi – now!" Shinji cries out.<br/>
<br/>
Hachigen claps his palms together, conjuring an enormous Kidō cube to surround him and his fellow Visoreds. The prism cages them and Ichigo in, leaving Hitsugaya and Rangiku on the outside.<br/>
<br/>
"Who are you?" Hitsugaya calls out indignantly. "Identify yourselves!"<br/>
<br/>
"It's Hirako Shinji," Rangiku says wistfully, drawing a shocked look from her captain. "Aikawa Love, Muguruma Kensei, Sarugaki Hiyori, Yadōmaru Lisa, and Ushōda Hachigen."<br/>
<br/>
Hachi gazes back and sees Rangiku through the glowing walls of his Kidō.<br/>
<br/>
"My, you have grown, Matsumoto Rangiku," Hachi says warmly. "I am pleased to see you alright."<br/>
<br/>
Rangiku, as if afraid to reciprocate the pleasantry, doesn't respond. She looks to her captain, who is gazing at the crew with astonishment.<br/>
<br/>
<em>They've been here in Karakura Town all this time</em>?! Hitsugaya thinks. <em>Did Ichigo know about this</em>?<br/>
<br/>
"We're gonna need you to wait patiently while we see to the kid," Shinji says as he strides up to the Kidō's perimeter, hands on his hips. He furrows his brow at Hitsugaya. "And you are...?"<br/>
<br/>
"Captain of the 10th Division, Hitsugaya Tōshiro."<br/>
<br/>
"Whoa," Shinji remarks, scratching his chin. "Captain, huh? When did the Gotei 13 start promoting straight from the nursery?"<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya seethes silently while Rangiku watches the other Visoreds ready for battle behind the shield of light.<br/>
<br/>
Hiyori, Kensei, Lisa, and Love all draw their swords, looking determinedly at Ichigo. "I'll take first shift," Lisa says, striding up to the Hollowfying boy. Shinji turns away from Hitsugaya to watch.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Remember what we told you, Ichigo</em>, the Visored thinks. A<em>ccess your Inner World and confront your Hollow. Consume him before he consumes your body. We can only keep him at bay for so long before we'll be forced to put you down.</em><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Orihime stands atop the rooftop of her apartment complex, looking nervously out on the Karakura skyline. <em>Rangiku and Hitsugaya-san left in such a hurry</em>, she thinks. <em>I hope they're helping Kurosaki-kun and the others</em>...<br/>
<br/>
Yumichika flash-steps behind her. She turns around and gasps – the Shinigami is hoisting four bodies over his back: Ikkaku, Rukia, Renji, and Chad. All of them appear unconscious.<br/>
<br/>
"Please," Yumichika says while setting the injured down. "Try and heal Ikkaku first."<br/>
<br/>
Orihime goes pale when she sees the state Ikkaku is in. The Third Seat looks completely lifeless, with a horrific slash carved into his torso. She gulps and kneels before him, casting her light. Yumichika stands beside her, watching apprehensively.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo opens his eyes, standing atop one of the soaring towers in his Inner World. He turns to see his pale reflection grinning at him.<br/>
<br/>
"The King returns," the Hollow says with delight, his voice a twisted inversion of Ichigo's own inflection.<br/>
<br/>
"Where's Old Man Zangetsu?" Ichigo asks tersely. "What did you do to him, monster?"<br/>
<br/>
"Zangetsu, huh?" the Hollow replies. "Aren't you holding Zangetsu right there in your hand? Or is it the one I'm holding?"<br/>
<br/>
The demonic reflection draws an identical blade, drawing a stunned reaction from Ichigo.<br/>
<br/>
"I thought I already told you," the Hollow continues. "I am Zangetsu!"<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Orihime is on the verge of tears. Her Sōten Kisshun is not reviving Ikkaku. The Shinigami remains motionless on the ground, his wounds refusing to mend.<br/>
<br/>
"I... I don't understand," Orihime says softly, panic mounting within her. "I can't reject his injuries. Why isn't it working?"<br/>
<br/>
Yumichika closes his eyes, taking a moment for himself. He sighs.<br/>
<br/>
"It's not working because your power has a limit," the Shinigami laments. "It cannot revive the dead."<br/>
<br/>
Orihime looks up at Yumichika, tears streaming down her crestfallen face.<br/>
<br/>
"Thank you for attempting to help him, but it's over," Yumichika says. "You can still save the others. Help them."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow sullenly follows Tōsen into Aizen's throne room. He raises a brow when he sees a chastened Yylfordt awaiting him.<br/>
<br/>
"And when did you get back here?" Grimmjow asks his Fracción. "Turn tail and run like a coward?"<br/>
<br/>
"Yylfordt Morbun preserved his life, which served Lord Aizen's wishes more faithfully than meaningless death would have," Tōsen says ruefully. "The waste of Edrad and Di-Roy's lives is because of your insubordination."<br/>
<br/>
"It is a heartbreak to lose two fine Arrancar in battle..." a dulcet voice rings out above them. All three gaze up to see Aizen perched on his throne, his eyes shining with warmth. "... but heartening all the same to see two return. Welcome home, Grimmjow."<br/>
<br/>
The Sexta Espada doesn't respond, glowering. Tōsen prompts him to speak up, asking if he has anything to say for himself.<br/>
<br/>
"Not a damn thing," Grimmjow retorts, prompting Kaname to bristle.<br/>
<br/>
"It's alright, Kaname," Aizen interjects. "I'm not upset – not at all. I believe that Grimmjow's actions were born out of a loyal desire to serve. <em>Isn't that right, Grimmjow</em>?"<br/>
<br/>
"Yeah, that about sums it up," Grimmjow answers flippantly, only for Tōsen to grasp him by the hem of his shirt.<br/>
<br/>
"Lord Aizen, allow me to execute this man!" the general demands. Grimmjow is unimpressed by the threat while Yylfordt watches in stunned apprehension.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, come on!" Grimmjow laughs. "This isn't about insubordination. You just don't like me, Tōsen!"<br/>
<br/>
"You confuse my duty with the personal," General Tōsen asserts. "Those who would disobey Lord Aizen's orders and sow discord within the ranks are not fit to serve under my command."<br/>
<br/>
"You never fail at hoisting up that great cause of yours," Grimmjow retorts derisively.<br/>
<br/>
"Yes," Tōsen replies, grasping the hilt of his Zanpakutō. "Violence without cause is naught but senseless slaughter. However, slaughter with cause <em>is justice</em>."<br/>
<br/>
In a flash, the Shinigami slices Grimmjow's right arm clean off from the shoulder. The Arrancar cries out in pain and panic while Tōsen fires a Kidō from his blade.<br/>
<br/>
"Hadō #54: Haien!"<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow watches with rage as his severed arm is turned into an unrecoverable cinder. He has been permanently maimed.<br/>
<br/>
"However well-intentioned your actions, Grimmjow, Tōsen can discipline you however he sees fit," Aizen smiles from his throne. "But you have no cause for fear: I have decided to pardon you from execution. You shall keep your life."<br/>
<br/>
"But not your rank," Tōsen adds, sheathing his blade. "Henceforth, you are no longer the Sexta Espada. You are no longer an Espada at all. Just an Arrancar in our army, with no authority to issue orders."<br/>
<br/>
Grimmjow clutches at his bloodied shoulder, rage burning in his eyes. He glares at Tōsen for a beat and then turns to trudge off, Yylfordt sheepishly following in his wake.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo dodges a slash from his Hollow. He dashes back, disturbed by the reflection's strength.<br/>
<br/>
"In case you still don't get it," the Hollow grins. "Zangetsu and I were once one being: the source of your power. If the master and the servant exchange roles, our form changes. When life rules, the body is wrapped in flesh. But when death rules, the body becomes bone. Now that I am the master, it's my power you're drawing from. The more of my strength you borrow, the easier it becomes for me to devour your soul!"<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo reasons that he will just have to defeat the Hollow to restore Zangetsu back to his rightful place. He activates his Bankai, only for the Hollow to reciprocate the release.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Lisa is becoming overwhelmed by Ichigo's Hollowfied form. She gasps as the monster leaps at her for another slash, only for Kensei to intercede and knock the beast back. The white-haired Visored announces that he's tagging in. Lisa gratefully retreats back to the perimeter of the shield.<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya watches Kensei's battle against the beast with interest, trying to understand the method to these Visoreds' madness.<br/>
<br/>
"You're wondering why we don't just kill him, right?" Shinji asks, leaning against the prismatic wall. He doesn't look back to see Hitsugaya's expression. "The good news is that Ichigo can still come out of this alive. We just need to keep his body too distracted to completely Hollowfy before he can sort himself out. It's dangerous, managing someone on his level while they're transforming. Each of us are putting our lives on the line right now. That's why we all needed to find some solidarity with the kid – on our own terms."<br/>
<br/>
<em>We glimpse back to each of the tasks Ichigo carried out with the Visoreds: teaming up with Kensei on a relay, organizing Love's manga collection, cleaning with Hiyori, playing cards with Hachi, and singing Karaoke with Lisa. We realize that these were bonding exercises meant to endear Ichigo to the crew.</em><br/>
<br/>
"It takes a lot of restraint to fight a Hollowfying person," Shinji concludes. "You have to beat them back without killing them, all while leaving yourself open to harm. That level of instinctual restraint can't be forced: you have to care about the person you're trying to save."<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya and Rangiku listen intently, watching with fascination as Kensei dexterously fights the beast.<br/>
<br/>
"Kurosaki-kun!" a voice calls out from behind the captain and lieutenant. They turn to see Orihime, flanked by Rukia, Renji, and Chad.<br/>
<br/>
"Captain Hitsugaya, what's happened?!" Rukia asks with alarm.<br/>
<br/>
"Stay back," Hitsugaya replies curtly.<br/>
<br/>
Orihime disobeys and strides past Tōshirō and Rangiku, pressing her hands to the prism of light. "<em>Ichigo</em>," she whispers with palpable concern, her eyes wide as if in a trance.<br/>
<br/>
"Mind the Kidō," Shinji warns. "If you're not careful, you'll –"<br/>
<br/>
Orihime's palms glow with a strange light. As if by instinct, she parts Hachi's Kidō like a curtain, opening it for entry. Shinji, Hachi, Hiyori, Love, and Lisa all take note of the feat with alarm.<br/>
<br/>
"She bypassed your Kidō, Hachi?!" Love exclaims.<br/>
<br/>
"That shouldn't be possible," Hachigen mumbles, aghast.<br/>
<br/>
Orihime steps through the puncture in the wall, followed by Chad and Rukia before the curtain of light snaps back together. She runs towards Ichigo, only for Hiyori to seize her by the arm.<br/>
<br/>
"Not another step," the Visored warns.<br/>
<br/>
Orihime's eyes widen as she gets her first good look at the monster Ichigo has transformed into. He writhes like an animal, cackling as he lashes out at Kensei.<br/>
<br/>
"... Ichi... go?" Orihime whispers to herself, unable to process what he's become.<br/>
<br/>
"That's Ichigo?!" Chad asks Rukia, horrified.<br/>
<br/>
The Shinigami nods, grimly watching her former pupil cackle like a monster. She looks to Orihime and places a comforting hand on her shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
"Ichigo has carried a Hollow within him for some time, now," Rukia tells her. "Don't let his appearance fool you: he has been fighting it courageously, and he continues to right now."<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya hears Rukia's words and furrows his brow. He looks to Renji: "Did you know about this?"<br/>
<br/>
Renji shakes his head no, a bead of sweat running down his temple as watches Ichigo thrash around. <em>I've never heard of anyone surviving Hollowfication this advanced before</em>, he thinks.<em> Ichigo... what's happened to you</em>?<br/>
<br/>
"Is Ichigo going to die?" Chad asks Shinji, turning back to gaze at the Visored earnestly.<br/>
<br/>
Shinji pauses for a beat and then shrugs. "It's up to him," he answers. "But he'd better get a move on before it's morning and we have ourselves some human civilians roaming around here. Then things will get really tricky."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Aizen strolls to his private chambers: a modestly adorned study with an expansive view of the Hueco Mundo wilderness.<br/>
<br/>
"Tōsen sure is a good actor, huh?" a playful voice hisses from the darkness. "You'da thought that was all his idea."<br/>
<br/>
Aizen casts Gin a smirk as he strides past, reaching his wide window to peer out at the desert.<br/>
<br/>
"I have no idea what you're talking about," the Arrancar Lord replies. "I leave the management of the Espada fully to Kaname's discretion."<br/>
<br/>
"Ah, o'course," Gin smiles. "Don't trouble him none havin' the Arrancar hatin' his guts, after all. Now, when Grimmjow tries crawlin' back to his title, he'll be hatin' Kaname all while wanting to win back yer favor. Still, looks like he pushed that Ryoka kid over the edge."<br/>
<br/>
"It is not morning yet, Gin," Aizen replies, gazing out at the night sky. "Have a little faith in our old friend: Hirako Shinji."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo is being completely overwhelmed by his Hollow. He watches in horror as the reflection catches Tensa Zangetsu in his grip, the katana dissolving into white dust. The spirit proceeds to throw around his human host, posing him a riddle: What the difference between a king and his horse?<br/>
<br/>
"When one becomes the king and seizes the glory, the other becomes the horse that lends his power," the Hollow cries out. "But what makes them different? There's only one answer. Instinct!"<br/>
<br/>
The Hollow drives his white katana into Ichigo's gut, holding the Substitute Shinigami at his mercy.<br/>
<br/>
"The instinct to seize the reigns," the Hollow cackles. "The drive to attain more power and use it to crush all enemies before you! That is what makes a king. I won't have it, Ichigo. I won't tolerate a king who's weaker than me. Getting on my back, running around, and getting us both killed. If that is to be the arrangement, then I will seize the crown for myself!"<br/>
<br/>
<em>Instinct</em>, Ichigo thinks. He suddenly understands.<br/>
<br/>
The Substitute Shinigami grabs the blade thrust into his gut, channeling his very being into it. The Hollow's expression changes as he watches his white katana turn black. The spirit dashes back, apprehensive about this transformation. It watches with alarm as Ichigo pries Tensa Zangetsu from his gut and spins it in his grip. The Substitute Shinigami lunges forward, thrusting his black katana into the Hollow.<br/>
<br/>
"... Seems you're not ready to give up the throne just yet," the Hollow grins, its body gradually dissolving. "Ah, well. So long as you act like a king, I'll recognize your authority. But don't forget, Ichigo – the next time the crown becomes too heavy for you, I will knock you down and trample your skull under my hooves!"<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Love dodges a sword slash from the Hollowfying Ichigo, observing how far the transformation has progressed.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Looks like he's got minutes left before reaching the point of no return</em>, Love thinks. <em>It'd be really shitty luck if I'm gonna have to be the one to kill him.</em><br/>
<br/>
Suddenly, the beast begins to lurch around, cracks opening across its bone-white form. The Visoreds all know what this means.<br/>
<br/>
"Hachi!" Shinji cries out.<br/>
<br/>
Hachigen casts a Kidō barrier with the dimensions of a coffin over Ichigo's writhing form. The prism swells as an explosion erupts inside of it, cracking the walls of light. The Visoreds and the Nakama watch in the suspense as the Kidō dissipates, revealing a plume of smoke.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo emerges, the monstrous shell shattering around him. He has returned to his human form, with a Visored mask emblazoned across his face.<br/>
<br/>
Orihime gazes at the mask with horror. <em>That face</em>, she thinks. It reminds her of the night her brother attacked her as a Hollow.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo stumbles forward in a daze, trudging towards his friends. He collapses, but Rukia springs forward to catch him in her arms. "Ichigo," she whispers.<br/>
<br/>
Orihime, who has had a very demoralizing night, watches Rukia set Ichigo down gently, prying the Visored mask from his face to reveal the kind eyes she remembered. She watches Rukia caress his face, asking if he's alright. He nods before passing out in her lap, a relieved smile on his face.<br/>
<br/>
Hachigen's barrier dissipates. Hitsugaya strides up beside Shinji, casting a disapproving look at Rukia and Ichigo.<br/>
<br/>
"Thank you," the captain tells the Visored. "I would have had to handle this very differently."<br/>
<br/>
Shinji casts the Shinigami withering side-eye. "We helped the kid, not you. Nothing personal, but we're not accepting any thanks from Soul Society."<br/>
<br/>
The Visoreds all ready to leave. Hiyori looks down at Ichigo with a frown. "You shoulda stayed in the hideout, dumbass," she grates. "But... good job not dying."<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya watches as all of the Visoreds flash-step out of sight. The captain turns his eyes back to Ichigo, as if studying him.<br/>
<br/>
"Renji," the captain asks, not averting his gaze from the Substitute Shinigami. "Where's Ikkaku and Yumichika?"<br/>
<br/>
Renji's eyes avert to the ground. He grits his teeth. "There's something you need to know, Captain Hitsugaya..."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>- SOUL SOCIETY: THE NEXT DAY -</b><br/>
<br/>
Captain Kenpachi Zaraki stands before the 11th Division barracks, his soldiers ceremonially lined behind him. Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi stands beside Kenny, her oft-cheerful features sunken into sadness.<br/>
<br/>
Yumichika emerges from the Senkaimon, leading a platoon of 11th Division soldiers carrying Ikkaku's corpse on a stretcher. The fifth seat's face is ashen, wracked with mourning. He strides over to his captain, looking up at him gravely.<br/>
<br/>
Kenpachi gazes down at Ikkaku's lifeless body, brought home to be laid to rest. Yachiru is visibly emotional, reaching up to the stretcher to grasp Ikkaku's hand.<br/>
<br/>
"Did he fight well?" Kenpachi asks Yumichika.<br/>
<br/>
The fifth seat nods. "To the very end."<br/>
<br/>
A broad smile spreads across Kenpachi's lips. "Then he died well, too. Good!"<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<b>- KARAKURA TOWN: TWO DAYS LATER -</b><br/>
<br/>
Orihime walks up the stairs of her apartment complex, troubled by the memory of Ichigo's Hollowfication. It's been several days since, but the image of Ichigo contorting with Hollowfying armor and a vicious smile on his possessed face continues to haunt her. She unlocks her apartment, only to discover that Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, and Rukia Kuchiki have set up a very fleshy, writhing Shinigami equivalent of a television screen in her living room. The lieutenant looks back at her with a mildly apologetic expression.<br/>
<br/>
"Sorry, Inoue," Rangiku says. "We had to borrow your apartment for just a few."<br/>
<br/>
Orihime, profoundly grossed out by the scaly monitor, bashfully replies that it is A-OK and that she'll head out grocery shopping. She readies to shut the door, but Rukia cajoles her to join on the couch and watch. Hitsugaya, arms crossed, turns back to the demonic big screen and nods as Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto materializes.<br/>
<br/>
"Captain-Commander."<br/>
<br/>
"Captain Hitsugaya," Yamamoto begins in his low, guttural drawl. "How are your wounds faring?"<br/>
<br/>
"I've been restored to full battle capability," Hitsugaya answers, casting his eyes back towards Orihime. "Our allies here in the World of the Living have been most helpful... Captain-Commander, I take full responsibility for the death of Lieutenant Madarame Ikkaku. Please accept my apologies."<br/>
<br/>
"Lieutenant Ikkaku did his duty," Yamamoto replies. "His death is a warning that much more Shinigami blood will be spilled if Aizen Sōsuke is allowed to continue recruiting Arrancar to his cause. That is why we have decided to take the battle to him."<br/>
<br/>
Rangiku and Rukia perk up at this.<br/>
<br/>
"Central 46 has convened and approved a proposal by the Gotei 13 to send an infiltration party into the Hollow realm of Hueco Mundo. Based on our reconnoissance, we suspect that Aizen Sōsuke, Ichimaru Gin, and Tōsen Kaname are all being harbored at the castle of Las Noches – home of the Hollow King, Barragan Louisebarn. No one roams Hueco Mundo without his express permission."<br/>
<br/>
"Hollows have kings?" Orihime mumbles with surprise. Rukia leans to her, whispering "This 'Barragan' is one of the few Arrancar Soul Society has any familiarity with. He's clashed with the Gotei 13 in the past – Shinigami often invoke his name to frighten children who don't behave."<br/>
<br/>
Orihime ponders the concept of a Hollow King. It sounds like the stuff of nightmares. She grasps at her sofa pillow and hugs it tight to her, creeped out.<br/>
<br/>
"We do not know how many Arrancar Aizen has already converted to his side," Yamamoto continues. "What we do know is that for every day he continues to hold this 'Hōgyoku,' the larger his army grows. That is why we have determined that the best course of action is to send some of the Gotei's finest warriors to discretely invade Las Noches and take the Hōgyoku back from Aizen's clutches. He did not make his move against Soul Society until it was in his possession – without it, his efforts to wage war against us will be severely hobbled.<br/>
<br/>
"Journeying into Hueco Mundo will be an unprecedented operation," Yama adds. "Aside from the accounts of escaped captives, we know very little about the Hollow home world. This also necessitates the creation of a Garganta – a technology that Soul Society has never attempted before. Kurotsuchi Mayuri is currently conducting tests to create such a portal, but it will take time. Meanwhile, we need you to remain in the World of the Living to convince Aizen that Karakura Town remains our priority."<br/>
<br/>
"Have we determined what Aizen is after, Captain-Commander?" Hitsugaya asks, eliciting a long pause from the old man.<br/>
<br/>
"... No," Yamamoto answers. "As of now, our only understanding is that he wishes to make war with both Soul Society and the World of the Living. To what purpose, we do not know. I have informed you of everything we have learned, Captain Hitsugaya. Is there anything else you have yet to report?"<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya tenses, his eyes looking back at Rukia.<br/>
<br/>
"... No, Captain-Commander," Hitsugaya says.<br/>
<br/>
Yamamoto nods and the screen dims. Hitsugaya turns to Orihime.<br/>
<br/>
"Miss Inoue, could you please do me a favor?"<br/>
<br/>
"Me?" Orihime points to herself, honored to have a Shinigami ask for her help. She nods vigorously.<br/>
<br/>
"Renji has insisted on training under Urahara Kisuke, and he's turned off his comms link," Hitsugaya says. "Could you please seek them out and inform Renji that he must radio me immediately?"<br/>
<br/>
The captain strides out of the apartment, shooting a cold look at Rukia.<br/>
<br/>
"Kuchiki – come with me."<br/>
<br/>
Orihime looks at Rukia like she's a classmate being called to the principal's office.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Rukia and Tōshirō stand on the rooftop of the apartment complex, the tension between them palpable.<br/>
<br/>
"You knew about Kurosaki Ichigo's condition and didn't inform me?" Hitsugaya asks sternly, arms crossed.<br/>
<br/>
"I had made a promise," Rukia answers, hands behind her back.<br/>
<br/>
"A promise?" Hitsugaya repeats, edge in his voice. "By keeping his Hollow a secret, both of you endangered us and this town. He could have wreaked unspeakable havoc. You should have told me –"<br/>
<br/>
"So you could tell Captain-Commander Yamamoto?" Rukia interrupts, brow furrowed. "Ichigo would have been caged like an animal."<br/>
<br/>
"For good reason," Hitsugaya counters. "I know you owe this human your life, Rukia, but neither of us know him well enough to invest blind faith. Never-mind that he is a human who attained Shinigami powers – his progression is unnatural. He would be a dangerous weapon should Aizen try and manipulate him."<br/>
<br/>
"Captain Hitsugaya!" Rukia yells indignantly. "I have seen Ichigo lay down his life to protect this jurisdiction and our fellow Shinigami. His integrity should not be up for discussion."<br/>
<br/>
Hitsugaya stares Rukia down with skepticism. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he gazes wistfully out at the Karakura skyline. "You think I'm being heartless, but this would not be the first time Soul Society placed its trust in the wrong human... " he sighs. "This matter will remain between us, but you will not lie by omission to me again, understood?"<br/>
<br/>
"Yes," Rukia nods. She means it.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Chad dives across the rocky outcrop of Urahara's expansive basement, missing a swing from Renji's Zabimaru by a hair's breadth. The segmented Zanpakutō whips around, only to grind against the shield of Brazo Derecha de Gigante.<br/>
<br/>
"Well helloooooo there, Miss Inoue!" Urahara says with his singsong gentility, turning back to see Ururu lead Orihime down the pullout staircase. "It's been a long time."<br/>
<br/>
"Uh-huh," Orihime concurs with an unnerved smile. It's odd to keep up the pleasantries while Chad and Renji viciously battle in the background.<br/>
<br/>
"So... what can I do you for?" Urahara asks, turning his attention back to his two new pupils duking it out.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, right," Orihime answers, cupping her hands over her mouth to project. "Um... Renji! Mr. Hitsugaya asked for you to phone him as soon as you can!"<br/>
<br/>
Renji snaps to attention, his Zabimaru bouncing off from Chad's armored arm. "Copy that," he says between pants. "Once we're done sparring, here."<br/>
<br/>
"I actually planned on summoning you myself – there's a matter we need to discuss," Urahara tells Orihime, changing the subject. "I was sorry to hear about Madarame Ikkaku. I heard that you attempted to revive him. Sadly, these Arrancar are formidable opponents. Yoruichi's sprained leg from the first encounter was evidence enough. We will have to be a strong, unified front to repel them."<br/>
<br/>
"Right," Orihime agrees, slightly nervous about the portent of Urahara's words. "Well, you can count on me!"<br/>
<br/>
"... Of course we can," Urahara says after a pause. "But that's not the promise I need from you. Inoue – swear to me that in the future, you will not engage in any fighting with the Arrancar."<br/>
<br/>
Chad and Renji halt their battle, stunned as they look over to see Orihime's crestfallen expression. Urahara cites that Orihime's offensive weapon, Tsubaki, was crushed by Yammy. Noting that she has been unable to repair the projectile, he rules that her involvement in any further incursions is out of the question. Chad interjects, lobbying that Orihime can be an on-site healer. Urahara counters that the Arrancar will try and seize any non-combatant ally as a hostage.<br/>
<br/>
"The harsh truth, Inoue, is that you would be a liability on the battlefield," Urahara says, breaking Orihime's heart. "The best way you can help is to go to school, live your life, and run away if there's danger."<br/>
<br/>
Chad is outraged, but Orihime insists that it's fine – as if flipping a switch from devastation to sunniness. She turns and runs out, Urahara watching her flee with a heavy expression.</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Renji discretely speaks into his wrist, sitting on the rooftop of Urahara's Shop. He can hear Hitsugaya chastising him from the other line.<br/>
<br/>
"Always keep your comm link open, Lieutenant Abarai," Tōshirō reminds him. "You need to be able to communicate with me and Soul Society at all times."<br/>
<br/>
"Urahara insisted that I turn it off whenever I'm inside his shop," Renji explains. "He said the radio waves 'wig him out,' whatever that means."<br/>
<br/>
"He's not your Sensei, Lieutenant Abarai," Hitsugaya sternly reminds. "Is that understood?"<br/>
<br/>
Renji answers in the affirmative and rests his wrist, troubled.<br/>
<br/>
<em>We glimpse to a flashback of the day that the Shinigami arrived in Karakura Town, when Hitsugaya took Renji aside to give him secret orders.</em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Impress yourself upon Urahara Kisuke – ask him to train you," Hitsugaya says. "You will observe his activities and report anything you learn to me, is that understood?"</em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"... Yes, Captain Hitsugaya," Renji reluctantly agrees.</em><br/>
<br/>
We return to the present, with Renji furrowing his brow. His conflicted feelings are interrupted when he notices Jinta peeking up over the ledge of the rooftop, spying on him. There is a long beat as the two redheads regard each other.<br/>
<br/>
"I don't like you," Jinta says.<br/>
<br/>
Renji's eyes widen, kind of taken aback by the blunt insult. <em>What the hell is up with this kid</em>?<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<em>I now refer you to <b>Bleach</b>'s Chapter 228, pages 1-16. The events of Rukia consoling Orihime through Hachi mending Tsubaki remain unchanged.</em><br/>
<br/>
Hachigen peers down at Orihime with a warm smile. "Then you shall," he says in response to her affirmation that she wants to fight. "But you don't fully understand your abilities, yet. I daresay that I may be the only Shinigami who can even teach you how to harness them."<br/>
<br/>
The sentiment lingers in the air. Orihime cranes her head, too shy to outright ask. Hachigen's smile turns sly.<br/>
<br/>
"It has been a long while since I last trained someone," he admits. "But if you would accept my tutelage, I think we may find a way to better understand your abilities together."<br/>
<br/>
Orihime's face is scrunched up like a demure puppy, struggling to repress tears. She nods her head, answering with a dramatic "Hai!"<br/>
<br/>
The sweet moment is interrupted when Ichigo is launched straight at Hachi's back, meeting the Kidō barrier that the gentle giant was leaning against. Ichigo smacks into the prismatic wall like a bug caught on a windshield, comically sliding down.<br/>
<br/>
Kensei cracks his knuckles from afar, barking at the Substitute Shinigami to get his ass back up. Ichigo struggles to his feet, heaving Zangetsu over his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
"What, did you suppress your full power for so long that now you've forgotten how to use it?!" Kensei taunts, spinning the ringed-hilt of Tachikaze around his finger. "Hurry up and don your mask."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo, exhausted, holds his palm over his face and concentrates. The features of a Hollowfied mask begin to materialize, only to shatter. His energy is spent.<br/>
<br/>
"Well good thing we got Miss Miracle Cure here," Kensei sighs, referring to Orihime. He sheaths his Zanpakutō.<br/>
<br/>
Hachi looks over his shoulder to regard Ichigo. "You will no longer be our lone trainee, Ichigo," the gentle giant announces. "Inoue Orihime will join us as a new pupil."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo, without even catching his breath, whips around to beam at Orihime. "That's great, Inoue! –" he begins, only to see her fearful expression: his eyes are inverted with the color of a Hollow's glare, the pigment still gradually returning to normal. Ichigo observes the nervousness in Orihime's eyes and winces. She in turn realizes the discomfort she's caused him and forces a warm smile.<br/>
<br/>
"I promise I won't get in the way, Kurosaki-kun."</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>- ONE WEEK LATER -<br/>
<br/>
HUECO MUNDO</b><br/>
<br/>
Sōsuke Aizen peers down from his throne, regarding Kaname Tōsen's proposed candidate for Sexta Espada: Luppi Antenor. Diminutive and possessing a coquettish demeanor, the Arrancar gives a regal curtsy to the ruler of Hueco Mundo.<br/>
<br/>
"I, Luppi Antenor, relish the opportunity to serve you faithfully, Lord Aizen."<br/>
<br/>
Aizen sits back with an amused smile, chin in hand.<br/>
<br/>
"General Tōsen, do you trust that Luppi will loyally serve within the ranks of the Espada?"<br/>
<br/>
Kaname gives a curt nod, eliciting whispers amongst the dozens of Arrancar lining the throne room. Grimmjow seethes from the shadows, irately watching Luppi – that prissy pain in his ass – ascending to his title.<br/>
<br/>
"I have no objections," Aizen concludes. "Rise an Espada, Luppi Antenor."<br/>
<br/>
Luppi draws to his full height, only reaching slightly above Kaname's waist. The Arrancar's lips spread into a demented smile as he basks in the obligatory applause from attendees.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
"That shrimp can bite me!" Emilou Apacci barks, referring to Luppi's promotion. She is standing atop one of the red towers mounted across the outskirts of Las Noches. "He hadn't even cracked the top 10 before, and now he just slides into the sixth slot? <em>I'm</em> stronger than he is!"<br/>
<br/>
"If this were a meritocracy, you'd be <em>my</em> attendant," Cyan Sung-Sun drolly counters, her legs dangling over the tower's ledge. The comment draws bristling indignation from Emilou, whose unseemly rage earns a condemnation from Franceska Mila Rose. The three Arrancar argue amongst themselves until the voice of their master cuts through the din.<br/>
<br/>
"Luppi Antenor was elevated to Sexta Espada for one reason alone," says Tier Harribel, her authoritative purr hardly above a whisper. "Because he aligns with Grimmjow's Aspect: Pride. They despise each other. The promotion was intended to provoke Jaegerjaquez."<br/>
<br/>
"Makes sense, Lady Harribel," Sung-Sun chirpily replies. "It's no secret that General Tōsen hates Grimmjow. How sublime of him, adding insult to injury. It's so wonderfully petty!"<br/>
<br/>
"Please," Harribel retorts, studiously whittling a chunk of mineral ore into an exquisite replica of an oyster shell. "It was never Tōsen's decision – that was all theatre. The selection was made by Lord Aizen. The fact Grimmjow is still alive after the stunt he pulled suggests that Lord Aizen still has plans for him. Do not envy Luppi's new title: it will be the worst thing that's ever happened to him."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Aizen sits in his quarters, replaying the reconnoissance provided by Ulquiorra. The recording projects across the space that normally serves as a window out to the Hueco Mundo desert. Kaname Tōsen enters, striding up to stand beside the Arrancar Lord.<br/>
<br/>
"Did you make progress today?" the blind Shinigami asks.<br/>
<br/>
Aizen casts his eyes down to his own arm: varicose veins peek out from beneath his sleeve, scrawling along his wrist. He returns his attention back to the projection, studying the replay of Yammy's encounter with the humans. He roves his hand, beckoning the footage to rewind and replay once more.<br/>
<br/>
"Subjugating the divine is proving treacherous," Aizen remarks with a sigh.<br/>
<br/>
"If it is impossible, then we must bolster our forces," Tōsen warns. "We will have to delay and seek out more Vasto Lorde."<br/>
<br/>
Aizen carefully watches the footage of Orihime casting a bizarre light around Yasutora's ruined arm. His eyebrow arches as he observes the limb miraculously mend back together. He smiles.<br/>
<br/>
"We already have all the Arrancar we need," Aizen beams. "But we still have one more asset to recruit."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>- TWO DAYS LATER -</b><br/>
<br/>
<b>KARAKURA TOWN</b><br/>
<br/>
Class is in session and Orihime can barely remain still in her seat. Drumming her fingers impatiently on her desk, she gazes absentmindedly out the window. Her head isn't filled with geology, but instead reflecting on her training with Hachigen.<br/>
<br/>
The teacher hands out the latest round of graded exams. Chizurū, being rather nosy, casts her eyes over to Orihime's test results. She gasps.<br/>
<br/>
"A 71?!?!" Chizurū cries out in disbelief. "My goddess Orihime, that's the worst grade you've ever gotten!"<br/>
<br/>
"How about we don't announce each other's scores?" Mizuiro grumbles.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh well, I guess minerals just aren't my forte," Orihime says with a smile, knowing full well that she hasn't had much time to study lately.<br/>
<br/>
The bell rings and Chizurū grasps Orihime by the hand, practically dragging her off. "Come on, missy – I'm going to tutor your perky lil butt off!"<br/>
<br/>
"I can't, Chizurū-chan," Orihime says with a bashful laugh, demurely shaking her head. "I have... debate prep!"<br/>
<br/>
Chizurū harrumphs, muttering "Debate prep with <em>Ichigo</em> again? I swear that guy is my sworn rival."<br/>
<br/>
The crew continues on without giving Orihime much grief. Tatsuki, however, remains – clutching her books close to her chest. Orihime regards her uneasily, sensing scrutiny. There is a long, uncomfortable silence shared between them.<br/>
<br/>
"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Tatsuki asks flatly.<br/>
<br/>
"Um..." Orihime stalls before affecting her ditsy busybody mannerisms. "Oh, yes! You know the 'Wahaha Song' that I invented as a theme song for my life? I just came up with some new lyrics and..."<br/>
<br/>
"Forget it," Tatsuki grumbles, stomping past Orihime without looking back. Orihime watches her leave, feeling like a bad friend.</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<b>- THE VISORED WAREHOUSE -</b><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo dodges a sword slash from Lisa, only to be kicked across the face, sending him somersaulting down into the dirt. He struggles back up, his body being pushed to the limit after hours of extensive sparring.<br/>
<br/>
"You make yourself vulnerable when you fight," Lisa observes, levitating down to him. "Do you actually think keeping your guard up hampers your ability to attack? It doesn't. If you're the one always reaching out to your opponent, then you will stumble."<br/>
<br/>
"Can I... can I train with Bankai now?" Ichigo pants. "I feel like you all just keep kicking my ass while I have one arm tied behind my back."<br/>
<br/>
"We're here to teach you how to use your Visored power, not to perfect your Bankai," Shinji barks back while digging into a bowl of Udon. "You're not ever gonna use your Bankai <em>and</em> your mask at the same time, so there's no point."<br/>
<br/>
"Why can't I use my mask in combination with Tensa Zangetsu?" Ichigo asks earnestly, planting his oversized sword into the ground to steady himself. "I bet I'd get a lot of mileage by stacking one on top of the other."<br/>
<br/>
"We're striving to achieve <em>balance</em> with the Hollows inside of us," Shinji explains between slurps of his noodles. "Amplify something as powerful as a Bankai with your mask, and your relationship to your Hollow becomes unstable. You can vent out all your Reiryoku in a blink if you're not careful. The mask is for Shikai only, kid. It'll be all the power you'll need, trust me... do you need a break?"<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo strongly considers taking a breather, but notices Orihime training on the other side of the warehouse. She is sweating, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her hands strain as she struggles to maintain a cube comprised of her mysterious energy. Hachigen has been teaching her how to add new dimensions to the shape of her shields. She has been working tirelessly at developing her evolved technique: <b>Hachiten Kisshun </b>("Eight Sacred Links Shield"). Ichigo can see that Orihime is exhausted, but she continues to press on while Hachigen patiently advises by her side.<br/>
<br/>
"No," Ichigo says with a soft smile, heaving Zangetsu back over his shoulder. "Let's keep going."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Ichigo and Orihime flop down on the ground, both of them soaked in sweat and their stomachs growling.<br/>
<br/>
"Good thing I prepared a meal for <em>the both of us!</em>" Orihime announces cheerily.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo goes completely pale, his stomach steeling itself already for whatever monstrosity Orihime threw together. He is pleasantly surprised when she only pulls out a pot of steamed rice, ladling him a generous portion.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh wow, this looks... <em>simple</em>!" Ichigo says happily while accepting the bowl. "Thanks, Inoue."<br/>
<br/>
"I haven't had time to go the store, so I just cooked the only thing left in my apartment," Orihime recalls while Ichigo brings a wade of rice to his mouth. "I also had five shakers of spices left, so I just emptied them all into the pot to give some flavor!"<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo's eyes snap open as the wildly over-seasoned rice ravages his tastebuds. His lips pucker and nearly shrivel back into in his mouth, but he forces a polite smile and gulps it down. He helps himself to more, his hunger outweighing his disgust.<br/>
<br/>
"So, Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime begins, her voice tremulous as she summons the courage. "Are you... doing anything... after training?"<br/>
<br/>
"Yeah, I'm gonna go on a walk with Rukia," Ichigo replies without missing a beat. "Catch up, y'know?"<br/>
<br/>
"<em>Oh</em>," Orihime squeaks. "Um... I've been wondering. Are you... are you two...?"<br/>
<br/>
"Are we what?" Ichigo asks, his mouth stuffed with rice.<br/>
<br/>
"Do you... <em>like</em> Rukia?"<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo's eyes widen. He coughs, pounds his chest, and swallows his rice. Orihime immediately regrets asking: either she'll get the answer she doesn't want or she'll feel awful for being so nosy.<br/>
<br/>
"Um, like <em>like</em> like?" Ichigo repeats back. "Well, I mean... I've never thought of her like that. She's like, a hundred years old, after all... We're just friends. Besides – <em>a girlfriend</em>? Whose got time for something dumb like that?"<br/>
<br/>
Orihime is wearing the most polite smile she can muster, but her eyes betray internal hysteria. "I see."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo notices that Orihime looks blue in the face. "Are you okay?"<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, it must be my cooking – I gotta go, need to throw up!" Orihime says hurriedly as she leaps up and runs away to go find a place to scream.<br/>
<br/>
Lisa and Love watch Orihime flee, both of them nestling up against a boulder. Despite Lisa thumbing through an erotica and Love perusing a manga, both of them observed the entire interaction.<br/>
<br/>
"Was I reading into that too much?" Love mutters, not looking up from his book. "Or did he just –?"<br/>
<br/>
"– No, you read into it correctly," Lisa replies. "The boy's an idiot."<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Ichigo discretely enters the Kurosaki household through his bedroom window, fully expecting Rukia to be awaiting him in the closet. He slides open the door, only to discover that the nook is empty – save for a note.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Something came up – meet me at Orihime's house!<br/>
- Rukia</em><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo frowns, crumpling the note and tossing it in the trash.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Ichigo knocks on Orihime's apartment door. The entrance swiftly cracks open, Orihime sheepishly holding a finger to her lips for quiet and letting him in.<br/>
<br/>
Rukia, Rangiku, and Renji all sit crammed on Orihime's couch while Hitsugaya stands before the fleshy Soul Screen, addressing Captain-Commander Yamamoto.<br/>
<br/>
"Ah, Kurosaki Ichigo," Yama notes, spying the Substitute Shinigami over Hitsugaya's shoulder. "Captain Hitsugaya was just telling me how you've been training under him."<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo looks confusedly to Tōshirō. The captain shoots him a '<em>Just play along' </em>glare.</p><p>"Uh, that's right," Ichigo nods awkwardly.<br/>
<br/>
"Now, I have summoned you all here to relay a message," Genryūsai continues. "Captain Kurotsuchi has completed work on the Garganta and the Gotei is ready to make our strike against Aizen."<br/>
<br/>
Everyone perks up – except Ichigo. Deep down, he's disappointed to hear that he may not have a part to play in defeating Aizen after all.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<strong>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong><br/>
<br/>
Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi stands at a control panel in the SRDI, Nemu beside him. A Garganta crackles before them – the dunes of Hueco Mundo peering out from the other side.<br/>
<br/>
"Are you sure this thing is safe?" Kenpachi asks, his arms crossed. "I don't wanna come out the other end turned inside out."<br/>
<br/>
"I have gone over my calculations to an exhausting degree," Mayuri replies, his lips curling into the toothiest of grins. "When we step through, we will be deposited directly into Hueco Mundo, only one mile away from the castle Las Noches. Once you have obtained the Hōgyoku, I will activate a new Garganta with <em>this</em>," Mayuri adds, gesturing to a bulky contraption held by Nemu – it looks unbearably heavy, but she carries it dutifully. "If all goes well, we will spend but an hour in the realm of Hollows."<br/>
<br/>
"Remember your mission: Seek out and retrieve the Hōgyoku!" Yamamoto commands. "Do not engage with the Arrancar unless confronted."<br/>
<br/>
Suí-Fēng, Kenpachi, and Mayuri all give Yamamoto a nod. The trio will be the leaders of the expedition party: Suí-Fēng is tasked with sussing out and bypassing Las Noches' defenses, Kenpachi has been entrusted with providing the muscle, and Mayuri will be present to activate the Garganta that will return them all home.<br/>
<br/>
The three captains are joined by their subordinates: Mayuri is accompanied by Nemu, Suí-Fēng by Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda, and Kenpachi is bringing along Yachiru and Yumichika.</p><p>Accompanying them is Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu of the Fourth Division, assigned as their medic.</p><p>"Why do I have to go?" Ōmaeda asks nervously, answered by a swift tap in his nuts by Suí-Fēng. <br/>
<br/>
"Because it's about time you start pulling your weight," Suí-Fēng grits, gazing unsympathetically up at her hyperventilating lieutenant. "If you complain the whole time, I'll feed you to the Hollows."<br/>
<br/>
Kyōraku Shunsui and Jūshirō Ukitake give the infiltration party respectful nods, having come to see them off.<br/>
<br/>
"Best of luck," Shunsui says. "Bring me back a Hollow mask as a souvenir if you get the chance."<br/>
<br/>
Yamamoto, Shunsui, and Ukitake all watch as each of the captains and their lieutenants step through the Garganta. Suí-Fēng, the last to enter, turns back to give her commander one last look. She steps forth.<br/>
<br/>
There is a pause, followed by a boom. The Garganta twists and warps, snapping like a rubber band and sending a pulse of energy throughout the SRDI. Yama, Shunsui, and Ukitake awkardly stare at the small, smoldering crater in the ground.<br/>
<br/>
"Was that supposed to happen?" Shunsui asks.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>THE VISORED WAREHOUSE - THE NEXT DAY</strong>
</p><p>"What do you mean we're done?!" Ichigo asks, incredulous.</p><p>"Your training with us is complete," Shinji replies. "You're wanted elsewhere."</p><p><em>What the hell</em>? Ichigo bristles. Orihime stands beside him, crestfallen. </p><p>"Does this mean, that I...?" she asks nervously.</p><p>"Nah, you're staying with us, Inoue," Shinji hand-waves. "Hachi's still got a lot to teach you."</p><p>"You can't just pass me off like this, Shinji!" Ichigo protests. "I need to get –"</p><p>"You <em>need</em> to head to Urahara Shop," Shinji interrupts. "He asked for you."</p><p>"What?" Ichigo stammers, taken aback. "You know Urahara?"</p><p>Hiyori cracks up, holding a hand over her face to stifle her amusement. Shinji cocks his head, giving Ichigo confused side-eye.</p><p>"How do you think we learned about you in the first place?"</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>URAHARA SHOP</strong>
</p><p>Renji and Rukia lock blades, both of them profusely sweating. Meanwhile, Chad, his Brazo Derecha Del Gigante activated, is punching his way through a domino row of Kidō, Tessai standing at the other end. The Kidō master patiently waits until Chad has broken through one wall of energy before conjuring another, each successive shield stronger than the last.</p><p>Urahara watches from his lawn chair, drinking fragrant tea while Ururu brings him a lunchtray.</p><p>"Why thank you very much, Ururu-chan!" the shopkeeper says appreciatively, plucking up a tamago sando and munching on it. Jinta comes stomping down the basement steps, followed by Ichigo.</p><p>"You've got a visitor!" the pint-sized redhead shouts over the din of Renji and Rukia's sparring. </p><p>Urahara cranes his head back, cracking a smile when he sees Ichigo. </p><p>"Ah, Kurosaki!" he greets. "We've been waiting for you!"</p><p>"You didn't tell me you knew the Visoreds," Ichigo replies, suspicious and not in the mood for pleasantries. </p><p>"Shinji and the gang?" Urahara says innocently. "Oh yes, we go way back. I don't recall you ever asking me?"</p><p>Ichigo strides up beside the shopkeeper, watching Renji and Rukia go at it. Rukia deflects a strike and swings her katana within a hairsbreadth of Renji's nose. The red-haired Shinigami stumbles back, clutching at the nick in his nostrils.</p><p>"You nearly took my whole nose off, Rukia!" he shouts indignantly.</p><p>"Whoops!" Rukia bleats with wide eyes, seeing blood trickle down Renji's upper lip. "That's your most redeeming feature, too. So sorry, Renji!"</p><p>Renji cocks an eyebrow while nursing his snout. "My <em>nose</em> is my best feature?"</p><p>"It's very symmetrical," Rukia concludes, sheathing her Zanpakutō. She turns to Kurosaki. "Ichigo! Have you come to train with us?"</p><p>"I don't know what I'm here for, actually," Ichigo shrugs. "Why am I here, Urahara?"</p><p>"You're here to train," Urahara replies before taking a dainty sip of his tea.</p><p>"I was already training with the Visoreds," Ichigo grumbles. "Why am I training <em>here</em>?"</p><p>"To improve your Hakuda!" Yoruichi shouts from behind.</p><p>Ichigo turns, only to be kicked square in the face by the cat lady. He flies back, skidding across the dirt. Chad continues smashing through Tessai's Kidō shields, not paying any mind and wholly focused on his strength training. Ichigo crawls back up, gingerly rubbing his nose.</p><p>"Hakuda to strike, and Hohō to dodge," Yoruichi grins, arms crossed. "Your skills are currently wanting."</p><p>"I'm still in my body!" Ichigo gripes. He retrieves his Substitute Shinigami badge from his pocket, bursting from his human shell and frocked in Shihakushō, Zangetsu strapped to his back. "Besides, speed is already my specialty."</p><p>"Ah yes, your Bankai was swift enough to get the jump on Kuchiki Byakuya," Yoruichi recalls with a coy smile. "Then what happened next?"</p><p>Ichigo's expression drops. <em>Then I slowed down to the point that I was going to lose</em>, he remembers, embarrassed. </p><p>"Tensa Zangetsu condenses your Reiatsu down to a perfectly honed, compressed point like the tip of a spear," Yoruichi observes. "This enabled you to move at astonishing speed in short bursts, but your body swiftly cracked under the weight of that compression. In short, accessing the full speed of your Bankai shatters your bones. Now, unless you can find a way to compress the 100 years necessary to master that speed down to mere weeks, you will not be able to move that fast against the Arrancar army. Unless, of course, you want to lose?"</p><p>Ichigo scratches his orange shock of hair, begrudgingly conceding the point.</p><p>"So, accepting that you will no longer have naturally-endowed speed to grant you an edge against your opponents, you will have to learn dexterity and technique the old-fashioned way," Yoruichi concludes. She breaks into a stretch position, reaching forward to touch her toes, her backside jutting up. Renji blushes crimson and turns away while Rukia looks on with eyebrows raised, impressed by what Yoruichi's got. </p><p>"Rule number one!" Yoruichi announces, snapping back upright and raising her lithe right leg up, holding it to her shoulder. "We shall undergo a half hour of yoga before each sparring session to improve your circulation and flexibility."</p><p>"What's yoga?" Rukia asks. </p><p>"It's what humans call <strong>Torakagamu </strong>(Tiger Crouch)," Yoruichi replies, moving on to her left leg. </p><p>"Oh!" Rukia lights up, getting it now. </p><p>"Rule number two!" Yoruichi continues, her mouth curling into a Cheshire cat grin. "During our training, you will spar <em>without</em> your Zanpakutō."</p><p>Ichigo's eyes widen. <em>Fighting without Zangetsu sounds like... fighting naked</em>, he thinks.</p><p>Yoruichi turns to regard Renji, Rukia, and Chad. </p><p>"You three!" she calls out, hand on her hip. "You're welcome to join us in our yoga sessions."</p><p>Chad halts his onslaught against Tessai's Kidō, wiping sweat from his brow. </p><p>"That sounds like it'd be a nice break, actually."</p>
<hr/><p>Rukia lets out a contended sigh, finding her balance as she splays her legs out into a split. She looks over to Ichigo, Renji, and Chad: their faces are all contorted and pink from the strain of maintaining the pose. </p><p>"That's right, deep breaths," Yoruichi says serenely, pushing her pelvis forward to maximize the stretch of her perfect split. </p><p>Urahara, Jinta, and Ururu encircle the yoga group, shaking burning incense to give a calming atmosphere. Ichigo isn't calm, though; he feels like his groin is about to rip.</p>
<hr/><p>Urahara leans back in his lawn chair, fanning himself while watching Ichigo get absolutely schooled by Yoruichi. </p><p>"<strong>Matayō</strong>!" Yoruichi announces as she leaps up and wraps her thighs tight around Ichigo's head, her crotch shoved directly into his face. He lets out a muffled shriek as she bends back, twisting her legs and swinging him down in a corkscrew spin. He drills into the ground, looking like a planted radish.</p><p>Yoruichi smiles down at Ichigo's flailing legs and grasps his ankle, pulling him out the from the dirt. </p><p>"Want me to teach you how to do that?" she asks.</p><p>"I'll pass," Ichigo replies in a daze, his mouth full of grit. </p>
<hr/><p>"Lunch time!" Urahara announces. </p><p>Renji and Rukia cease their dueling while Chad takes a break from smashing more of Tessai's barriers. Ichigo looks the worst out of the bunch, blue with bruises and looking completely zonked out. Yoruichi gives him a playful rap on the cheek before dashing off to snatch three bowls of Nikujaga for herself. </p><p>"Kurosaki, how about you and I dine in my quarters?" Urahara suggests, plucking up two bowls and gesturing to the staircase. </p><p>"Uh, sure!" Ichigo replies. </p><p>Chad, Renji, and Rukia watch bemusedly as Ichigo limps over to join Urahara. Yoruichi plunks down into the shopkeeper's lawn chair, leaning back and scarfing her meal down.</p><p>"Gather round, so I may regale you with my adventures as a cat," she orders her new yoga pupils. </p>
<hr/><p>Ichigo gingerly sits down on the wood-panel floor while Urahara situates himself on the other side of the low-rise table. The shopkeeper takes a pot of steaming tea and pours a cup for both of them.</p><p>"This'll clear your head," he advises.</p><p>Ichigo grasps his cup and sips, looking at Urahara quizzically. "So why am I getting the VIP treatment?"</p><p>"I figured we should talk," Urahara replies, digging into his Nikujaga. "I get the sense that there's something you want to ask me."</p><p>Ichigo takes his chopsticks and swishes them around in his dish, hesitant to respond. </p><p>"... Why were you exiled from Soul Society, Urahara?"</p><p>"Now that was <em>not</em> the question I was expecting," Urahara whistles. </p><p>"Aizen said that you... conducted experiments on your fellow Shini–"</p><p>Urahara's fingers tense together, snapping his chopsticks. Ichigo falls silent, </p><p>"He said that, huh?" Urahara grits, head bowed and hat hiding his eyes. "Well, that is indeed what I was convicted of."</p><p>"Is... is it true?" Ichigo asks nervously.</p><p>Urahara sets his splintered chopsticks down. </p><p>"It's a long story," he says, looking up to meet Ichigo's stare. "You got a minute?"</p><p>
  
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. ARRANCAR ARRIVAL: Turn Back the Pendulum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The history of Urahara, the Visoreds, and the Hōgyoku. Set a century before Ichigo gained his Shinigami powers.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>
  
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</p><p> <iframe></iframe></p><p><strong>SOUL SOCIETY - 110 YEARS AGO<br/>
</strong> <strong>FIFTH DIVISION BARRACKS<br/>
</strong>Captain Shinji Hirako of Fifth Division strolls out from his company barracks, heading for the First Division.</p><p>"Captain!" a voice calls after him.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Shinji irritably turns to face his lieutenant, Sōsuke Aizen. The bespectacled second-in-command looks sheepish.</p><p>"Whaddaya want, Sōsuke?" Shinji asks impatiently.</p><p>"I... heard that you are heading to the farewell gathering for Captain Hikifune," Aizen broaches.</p><p>"Yeah, and?"</p><p>"May I accompany you?" Aizen asks bashfully, nervously running a hand through his hair. "I know that other lieutenants will be present."</p><p>"What, you got a crush on her or something?" Shinji asks skeptically. "Need to take one last look?"</p><p>"What?!" Aizen exclaims, befuddled by the accusation. "No, captain. It's just that I respect her immensely. And, well..."</p><p>"Well what?" Shinji snaps. "Spit it out."</p><p>"... I would like to be able to say that I've seen an inducted member of the Royal Guard," Aizen admits, sunlight refracting off of his glasses.</p>
<hr/><p><strong>FIRST DIVISION BARRACKS<br/>
</strong>"I don't want you to go!" Lieutenant Hiyori Sarugaki of Twelfth Division wails, clinging to her captain's robes.</p><p>Kirio Hikifune, a tall and buxom woman with flowing magenta hair, caresses Hiyori's pigtails with motherly affection.</p><p>The rest of the gathered party all passively watch. Hikifune has been promoted to Squad Zero – a feat that hasn't occurred in over 700 years. Numerous seated officers have come to wish her well before she departs for the Royal Realm. Among the attendees are Captains Shunsui Kyōraku, Jūshirō Ukitake, Love Aikawa, and Rōjurō Ōtoribashi, along with Lieutenants Lisa Yadōmaru, Chikane Iba, Mashiro Kuna, and Jinemon Kotsubaki. Lastly, of course, there is Shinji Hirako and Sōsuke Aizen.</p><p>"I wish she wouldn't do that," Aizen whispers to his captain while watching Hiyori cry. "It's unbecoming of a subordinate."</p><p>"Shut yer mouth," Shinji fires back. "Hiyori's from the Rukongai – she never had any parents. Hikifune's the closest thing she's got to a mother. So maybe you should dial down the judgment."</p><p>"Hailing from the Rukongai does not exempt her from decorum," Aizen muses.</p><p>"Pfft, you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, Sōsuke," Shinji retorts venomously. "You have no idea what the Rukongai can be like."</p><p>Aizen's expression turns inscrutable. He returns his attention to Hiyori as she continues to bawl.</p><p>"Now, now, Hiyori," Hikifune coos with a warm smile. "I will write to you. A letter just for you sent from the sky! Doesn't that sound lovely?'</p><p>Hiyori nods, wiping snot from her nose. She finally releases Hikifune from her embrace, trudging back to rejoin Lisa amongst the gathered party.</p><p>"I am flattered by all of you coming here to bid me farewell," Hikifune tells the crowd. "Thank you all for gifting me with your expressions of comraderie and friendship. I will carry them with me to the Royal Palace. Now, I must finish preparing for a <em>very</em> eventful day tomorrow, so I think it's unfortunately about time that I make my –"</p><p>"Captain Hikifune," Aizen interrupts, stepping forward. All eyes fall on him, including Shinji's irate glare. </p><p>"Please excuse my temerity," Aizen continues, his voice quavering with nerves. "But it would be my eternal honor to shake the hand of a blessed member of Zero Division."</p><p>He kneels before Hikifune and extends up his trembling hand. Shunsui smiles at the corniness of the gesture while the lieutenants are all blushing with mortification.</p><p>"Eh?!" Shinji angrily interjects. "Put your hand away, Sōsuke, before you embarrass the Fifth Division."</p><p>"Oh, it's really no trouble, Shinji," Hikifune beams, supremely endeared by the lieutenant's boldness. She coquettishly reaches down and grasps Aizen's hand for a playful handshake. "My my, Lieutenant Aizen. You're quite the charmer. I now regret having to leave the Seiretei..."</p><p>Aizen blushes, not noticing the absolute daggers Shinji is throwing him.</p><p>"Woooow," Hiyori mutters with a sniffle. "What a suck up."</p><p>"It's called chivalry," Lisa replies. "More men should practice it."</p>
<hr/><p><em>I now refer you to <strong>Turn Back the Pendulum</strong>'s installments one through nine (known as chapters -108 through -100). All of these canonical events proceed unaltered, save for the discussion about Hikifune in the first chapter. We re-enter the <strong>Second Cut </strong></em><em>during the early pages of chapter -99, </em>when<em> Aizen gloats that Shinji's distrust of him had enabled his treachery.</em></p><p><strong>WEST RUKONGAI - SIXTH DISTRICT<br/>
</strong>"Have you figured it out?" Aizen condescendingly asks Shinji. "It was not you 'who chose me,' but rather, 'I who chose you,' Captain Hirako."</p><p>Shinji struggles up to his knees, his pain only superseded by his rage. He cranes his head back, surveying his comrades. Love, Rōjurō, Hiyori, Lisa, and Hachigen all have white bile erupting from their orifices while the already-masked Kensei and Mashiro are unconscious.</p><p>"What the hell have you done to us, Aizen?" Shinji grits.</p><p>The Lieutenant smiles softly, reaching into his robes. He produces a fragmented orb pulsating with a bizarre Reiatsu. The sphere's purple radiance shines off of his glasses, obscuring his eyes.</p><p>"I exposed you to this," he purrs, striding forward. "Its energy has been seeping into your open wounds, transforming you all in... <em>fascinating </em>ways. Not only did I choose you as my captain, Hirako Shinji... I've also chosen you as my test subject."</p><p>"Damn it, Aizen!" Shinji roars, gripping the hilt of Sakanade. He grunts as viscous white bursts out from his mouth and right eye. The mysterious matter surges forth, slowly wrapping around Shinji's face. <em>What... is... happening</em>? he panics.</p><p>"As I suspected," Aizen remarks to Tōsen and Gin. "Hollowfication is accelerated by the victim's agitation. My deepest gratitude, Hirako. Our previous test subjects' Reiatsu were so paltry that they all perished before their Hollowfication could bloom. You are providing us with invaluable data..."</p><p>Mashiro Kuna begins to convulse, letting out a horrific shriek through her Hollow mask. Shinji watches in abject horror while Aizen observes her with clinical detachment. The Ninth Division lieutenant rears up, her screech reaching a disquieting pitch until <em>SPLAT</em>. Shinji chokes on his breath as he gazes at the bloody stain that was formerly Mashiro.</p><p>"Soul Suicide," Aizen sighs. "How unfortunate; I had hoped you all would stabilize. The barrier between Shinigami and Hollow has still not been breached."</p><p>"Kuna was just a lieutenant, Cap'n Aizen," Gin remarks. "Maybe the cap'ns have enough Reiatsu to pull through?"</p><p>"An astute theory," Aizen muses, striding over Mashiro's viscera and arriving at Rōjurō. "Let us put it to the test."</p><p>Aizen kneels down, grasping Rōjurō by his robes. He lifts the Hollowfying captain up, holding the Hōgyoku close to his face.</p><p>"Rose..." Shinji whispers fearfully. "Aizen, don't..."</p><p>The Hōgyoku pulses, its light flaring brighter as Aizen brandishes it like a hot poker against Rōjurō. The Third Division captain weakly presses his hand to Aizen's face, trying to push him away. Aizen's eyes scrutinize him with malicious fascination, studying his every twitch.</p><p>"Don't do it, Aizen!" Shinji pleads. "Let him go!"</p><p>Rōjurō grunts, his body beginning to violently shake. </p><p>"Rose!" Shinji screams.</p><p>Rōjurō explodes into infinitesimal pieces, his blood splattering in every direction. Aizen, dripping with crimson, stores the Hōgyoku back beneath his soaked robes. He rises up and turns to Tōsen and Gin, his stained face dispassionately disappointed.</p><p>"The Hōgyoku is not complete," he concludes. "There is nothing to gain from further study here; their Hollowfication will only spoil before ripening. <em>Dispose of them</em>."</p><p>Tōsen unsheathes Suzumushi, striding forth. Shinji struggles to reach for his Zanpakutō, his strength completely sapped as the torrent of white progressively overtakes him. </p><p>"It is not Kaname's blade you should fear, Captain Hirako," Aizen says, drawing Kyōka Suigetsu from its blood-stained scabbard. "He will dispatch your comrades, but I reserve you as my prey."</p><p>Shinji's remaining eye burns with hatred as he watches Aizen approach. </p><p>"Know this, Hirako: the treachery you can see is trivial," Aizen grins, raising his katana. "What's truly terrifying... is the treachery which the eyes <em>cannot</em> see." </p><p>Suddenly, Urahara Kisuke materializes behind him, bringing his sword down for a slash. Aizen dodges with a flash-step, the badge wrapped around his arm sliced clean in half. </p><p>"What a pleasant surprise," Aizen remarks, eyeing Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi as they place themselves between him and Shinji. "And what brings you two out here?"</p><p>Tōsen halts in his tracks, lowering Suzumushi. Gin grins at the two interlopers. "Uh-oh," he chuckles. "They done found us."</p><p>Urahara looks down at Shinji. The Fifth Division captain has tears in his left eye, a monstrous skull hardening across the right side of his face. Urahara glances over at Hiyori, who has a similar mask overtaking her. </p><p>"Lieutenant Aizen, what are you doing here?" Urahara asks through gritted teeth.</p><p>"It's just what it looks like: I came to provide aide to our comrades, Captain Urahara," Aizen replies, his blood-soaked visage belying his feigned innocence. "I found them like this. Their condition mystifies me, but you, a man of science, must have a theory as to what this phenomena could be?"</p><p>"This is Hollowfication," Urahara answers tersely. "But you already knew that."</p><p>"I see," Aizen says softly, his eyes widening with excitement. "<em>So you truly are the man I thought you were</em>."</p><p>Aizen sheathes Kyōka Suigetsu and gives a nod to Tōsen, who follows suit.</p><p>"I'm glad you came here tonight," Aizen adds. "There is one more hypothesis I have left to test. If these failed experiments survive the night, then my suspicion about you will be confirmed."</p><p>"What suspicion would that be, Aizen?" Urahara asks, disdain dripping from his tongue.</p><p>"That you and I share the same vision," Aizen says serenely. "Goodnight, Urahara Kisuke. Gin, Kaname... we're leaving."</p><p>Aizen turns his back on Urahara and strides away, Tōsen and Gin flash-stepping beside him. </p><p>"Wait!" Urahara roars after them.</p><p>"Out of the way, Urahara!" Tessai warns, his hands outstretched. "Hadō 88! <strong>Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō</strong>!" </p><p>A massive blast of Kidō fires from Tessai's palm, surging towards Aizen and his entourage like cannon fire. </p><p>"Bakudō 81," Aizen retorts without looking back. "Dankū."</p><p>Tessai's Hadō splashes against a translucent barrier that stretches up towards the sky, the resulting explosion a wall of fire. </p><p>"That's... impossible," Tessai gasps, watching as his attack dissipates. The barrier shatters, revealing that Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen have disappeared.</p><p>"Tessai!" Urahara shouts. "Help me with them, quick!"</p><p>Shinji has collapsed onto the ground, his mask continuing to solidify.</p><p>"We need to get them back to Twelfth Company Barracks," Urahara says urgently. "I cannot treat them here. Is there a Kidō you can use?"</p><p>"To help them to make the journey?" Tessai replies nervously. "I'm not sure. I can cast <strong>Saibōtetai</strong> to put them in stasis, but I do not know if it will stave off whatever is happening to them."</p><p>"That's not going to cut it," Urahara concedes. "Their condition is too advanced for that spell to buy us enough time."</p><p>"The treatment for them can only be found in your barracks?" Tessai asks.</p><p>"That's right."</p><p>Tessai brainstorms for a beat, then presses his palms together.</p><p>"I will cast <strong>Tenkai Nihirate</strong>," the Kidō master announces. "Brace yourself, Urahara."</p><p>Urahara watches in amazement as Tessai hones his focus, lightning crackling around him. There is a pulse, followed by a bubble extending from Tessai's palms and widening out to encircle the grassy field by 30 meters, encompassing them and the unconscious Shinigami. Suddenly, the world around the sphere warps, transforming into the wide expanse of the Twelfth Division barrack's underground.</p><p>"Remove them from Tenkai Nihirate's perimeter," Tessai tells Urahara, sweat beading down his furrowed brow. "Please hasten; I cannot maintain this spell for long."</p><p>Urahara hurriedly drags the Hollowfying Shinigami out from the bubble two at a time, depositing them against a wall. Finishing his last batch, he turns back and sees Tessai nearly buckling from the strain of prolonging his spatial manipulation.</p><p>"Do not step back into the sphere, or you will find yourself returned to the Rukongai with me," Tessai warns. "I will make my way back here on foot."</p><p>Urahara nods, raising a hand farewell. </p><p>"Thank you, Tessai," he says. "See you soon."</p><p>Tessai and the swath of Rukongai vanish together. Urahara is now alone with the Hollowfication victims.</p>
<hr/><p>Tessai dashes into the Twelfth Division barracks, having just sprinted from the West Rukongai without stopping. Short of breath, he makes his way down the staircase to find Urahara sitting before the array of Shinigami. Their faces are still encased in masks.</p><p>"Were you able to save them?" Tessai asks, nervously scrutinizing the Hollow-looking visors.</p><p>"Yeah, in a sense," Urahara replies exhaustedly, cradling a glowing orb in his hands. He raises his palms to show Tessai.</p><p>"What is that?" the Kidō master marvels. </p><p>"It is the Hōgyoku," Urahara explains. "Well, it's my variation on it, at least. I thought I had created the only one in existence until tonight."</p><p>"There's more of these... Hōgyoku?" Tessai asks, unnerved.</p><p>"Yes," Urahara nods. "Aizen has created his own, and he's been Hollowfying Shinigami with its Reiatsu."</p><p>"Hollowfying?!" Tessai repeats, unfamiliar with the term. </p><p>"The Hōgyoku erases the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow... in theory," Urahara continues. "Exposure to its Reiatsu in the bloodstream spurs hybridization, but that's only if the Hōgyoku is perfected. Aizen's is not, so it only results in... apotheosis."</p><p>Urahara sighs, shoulders drooping. He gazes at Hiyori wistfully.</p><p>"Rose and Mashiro died of Soul Suicide tonight," he concludes. "By trying to tear down the barrier that separated them from Hollows, Aizen only succeeded in destabilizing their Souls... and now they've ceased to exist."</p><p>"What?!" Tessai exclaims, horrified.</p><p>"They have been extinguished from the Cycle altogether, and will not reincarnate," Urahara laments. </p><p>Tessai absorbs the gravity of this revelation, then looks worriedly at Hachigen.</p><p>"Were you able to reverse <em>their</em> Hollowfication?" he asks.</p><p>"No, but I've succeeded in stabilizing them," Urahara replies. "Exposure to my Hōgyoku returned balance to their Souls despite the onset Hollowfication. I have a sick feeling... that this is the outcome Aizen wanted."</p><p>"What?!" Tessai shouts, incredulous. "You've saved the lives of those he attempted to murder! Why would that have been his aim?" </p><p>"He's not Hollowfying people just for kicks," Urahara thinks aloud. "He must want to fully hybridize Shinigami with the Hollows, achieve a new level of evolution. I think... he was hoping I'd find him tonight. He used Shinji and the others as bait: by saving their lives, I've proven that my Hōgyoku is more advanced than his. He will come for it."</p><p>"He won't have the chance!" Tessai declares, angrily banging his staff onto the ground. "Not after he is tried for his crimes!"</p><p>Suddenly, the door to the barracks' underground bursts open, dozens of armed Shinigami pouring in. Urahara hurriedly rolls the Hōgyoku over to the wall – it skids beneath Love's robes.</p><p>"Captain Urahara and Kidō Corp Commander Tessai – please do not resist," Captain Ginrei Kuchiki of the Sixth Division warns, his Zanpakutō drawn. "Central 46 has issued a warrant for your arrest."</p><p>"What?!" Tessai protests. "What for?"</p><p>Urahara's blood runs cold when he sees the fury and disdain in Ginrei's eyes. The Sixth Division captain looks to Shinji and the others.</p><p>"For what <em>you've done to them</em>."</p>
<hr/><p><strong>CENTRAL 46 - SIX HOURS LATER<br/>
</strong>Urahara and Tessai stand shackled in the underground level of the Seijōtōkyorin, surrounded by the forty wise men and six judges of Central 46. Shielded behind plaques, the faceless arbiters scrutinize the two defendants. Urahara has the queasy suspicion that he and Tessai have not been summoned for questioning, but for judgment.</p><p>"What do you have to say for yourself, Captain Urahara?" the Grand Chair asks from his perch.</p><p>"Well, that depends," Urahara replies with edge. "First I need to know what I am accused of."</p><p>Heated murmurs ripple throughout the chamber, the wise men losing their composure behind their placards. </p><p>"Feigning ignorance will not endear you to this chamber, Captain," the Grand Chair says irately. "We have already been made aware of your depraved research."</p><p><em>This is worse than I</em> <em>feared</em>, Urahara thinks, sweat beading down his brow. He knows now that he will have to choose his words very carefully.</p><p>"Tell us, Captain, where were you and Kidō Corps Commander Tsukabishi last night?" the Grand Chair asks. "During the hour of midnight?"</p><p>Urahara thinks on the exact timeline and replies "Making our way to the forest West of the Sixth Ward of Fugai District... we were concerned about our subordinates."</p><p>"Liar!" one of the wise men shouts, setting off a literal echo chamber of condemnations. Tessai's blood runs cold as he realizes the sheer disdain the entire committee holds for him and Urahara.</p><p>"Half-truths will not endear you to this chamber, either," the Grand Chair continues. "We already knew that you were in the Rukongai – against Captain-Commander Yamamoto's orders – but we had hoped you possessed the decency to admit your purpose there."</p><p>"What exactly do <em>you </em>think we were there for?" Urahara barks back, losing his patience. "You've obviously already made up your minds, so enlighten me!"</p><p>The Grand Chair seizes his gavel and pounds it. </p><p>"Speak out of turn again and you will be gagged!" the inquisitor roars. "We know that you ensnared your fellow Gotei members in a trap, so that you could perform abominable experiments on them!"</p><p>"You were caught in the act!" another judge cries out, voice hoarse with emotion. "After Captain Ōtoribashi and Lieutenant Kuna perished, you relocated them all to the Twelfth Division Barracks for fear of being found, didn't you?!"</p><p>"Who told you this?" Urahara demands. "Was it Lieutenant Ai–?"</p><p>"– You are now in contempt of this chamber," the Grand Chair warns.</p><p>"It was Aizen who was experimenting on our comrades!" Urahara shouts. "He is the criminal you seek, and you'd be able to see through his lies if you just –"</p><p>Urahara's voice is drowned out by a chorus of jeers. </p><p>"If you are going to lie, then verify your scapegoat beforehand," a member of the committee snickers. </p><p>"Lieutenant Aizen never left the Seiretei last night," the Grand Chair discloses. "We have taken a full accounting of every Gotei officers' whereabouts, and over 100 members of Fifth Division and a captain have confirmed that Aizen was at his company barracks the entire evening. It was <em>you two</em> without an alibi."</p><p><em>That's... impossible</em>, Urahara thinks. </p><p>"Explain the device you've been harboring in the Twelfth Division Barracks?" the Grand Chair queries. "This orb that perverts a Shinigami's soul?!"</p><p>"How did you...?" Urahara stammers. Then it hits him. <em>Mayuri!</em></p><p>
    <em>One hour earlier, Mayuri Kurotsuchi testified before Central 46. He was very forthcoming about what he discovered in Captain Urahara's laboratory. </em>
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    <em>"Urahara Kisuke kept a rather bizarre object in his safe," Mayuri recalls. "Upon inspection, I discovered it was a completely alien material that could potentially induce Hollowfication under certain conditions."</em>
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    <em>"Why did you not report this to us beforehand?" one of the wise men asks.</em>
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    <em>"Because he is my superior," Mayuri replies drolly. "He afforded me an appreciated level of discretion, and so I returned the favor..."</em>
  </p><p>"So you have nothing to say for yourself?" the Grand Chair concludes, observing Urahara's stupefied expression. "It seems there is nothing left to discuss. I shall announce the sentences! Tsukabishi Tessai: for the crimes of aiding and abetting a capital offense and using a forbidden spatial displacement charm within the Seiretei, you are to be imprisoned within the Shugou for life! Urahara Kisuke: for the crimes of researching and invoking taboo phenomenon, deceiving and inflicting grievous harm on your colleagues, and for the murders of two Shinigami, you are hereby sentenced to death by the Sōkyoku!"</p><p>Urahara and Tessai cast their eyes down to the floor, the full weight of this unfolding nightmare enveloping them.</p><p>"Furthermore, the pitiable victims of your depraved experiments will be treated as Hollows – and dealt with as such!" the Grand Chair adds.</p><p>Urahara's eyes widen with horror. It is one thing for his life to be forfeited, but executing Hiyori and the others as abominations means that all of this was for naught. <em>Aizen's victory will be complete. </em></p><p>"Please wait!" Urahara cries as attendants drag him and Tessai away. "You can't do this – please listen to me!"</p><p>The chamber unanimously jeer at the two convicted criminals while they are escorted out. The Grand Chair leans back into his seat, convinced that he has righted an egregious wrong today.</p>
<hr/><p>Urahara and Tessai sullenly trudge through an open corridor of the Seiretei, prodded by guards whenever their steps grow too slow. Captain Kuchiki is accompanying the group in case the prisoners get any fanciful ideas about escaping.</p><p>"I'm sorry I got you mixed up in this," Urahara tells Tessai. </p><p>"I will always lay down my life for my comrades, Kisuke," Tessai replies. "No matter the outcome, I hold no shame in my heart. Neither should you."</p><p>Urahara smiles. <em>That's a very positive way of looking at –</em></p><p>His thought is interrupted when a shadow dashes through the group, each guard crumpling unconscious onto the ground. Ginrei Kuchiki unsheathes his Zanpakutō, <strong>Namidarakka</strong>, and demands that the attacker show themselves. A veiled figure flash-steps between Urahara and Tessai, hugging them close to her. </p><p>"Captain Shihōin?" Ginrei gasps, recognizing the interloper beneath her thin disguise.</p><p>Yoruichi responds with a mischievous wink beneath her wrappings, whisking away the two prisoners in a blink of Shunpo.</p><p>Ginrei resignedly sheathes Namidarakka, knowing that he cannot catch up with Yoruichi. </p><p><em>I hope you were not complicit in Urahara's treachery, Lady Shihōin, </em>Ginrei thinks. <em>Even so, you have broken your family's heart today.</em></p>
<hr/><p><strong>SŌKYOKU HILL – MINUTES LATER</strong> <br/>
"What the hell were you thinking?!" Urahara asks agitatedly.  </p><p>"You're welcome," Yoruichi replies tersely, shattering his shackles with a chop. </p><p>They are inside the innards of Sōkyoku Hill – ironically the spot where Urahara was condemned for execution. Tessai rubs his newly freed wrists, looking with relief at the sight of Hachigen and the other Hollowfied Shinigami arrayed along the craggy cave.</p><p>"Yoruichi, that was reckless!" Urahara presses. "You are now our accomplice. They will condemn you to the Central Great Underground Prison, at best." </p><p>"You didn't do it, right?" Yoruichi shoots back, hands on hips. </p><p>"Of course not!"</p><p>"Well then I have no regrets," Yoruichi coolly smiles. "Did you expect me to stand idly by while you were framed?"</p><p>"That's not the point," Urahara grits agitatedly. "You are a Shisonka heir, the next in line to become Tenrai-chō."</p><p>'I don't want it," Yoruichi shrugs. </p><p>"Well everyone else in the Seiretei does!" Urahara shouts, fed up by her nonchalance. "You just threw away <em>everything</em>. Why the hell would you do that?!"</p><p>Yoruichi reaches out and caresses Urahara's cheek. </p><p>"Why do you think?" she asks before pressing her lips to his. It's not the first kiss they've shared, but this time it's different. In that instant, Urahara realizes that she loves him, too. He relents, grasping her by the waist and kissing her back with relief.</p><p>Tessai blushes and coughs awkwardly, prompting Urahara and Yoruichi to break from their embrace. They're on the same page, now.</p><p>" I collected Shinji and the others, knowing they'd be killed otherwise," Yoruichi explains, gesturing to the collection of unconscious Shinigami. "I also found..."</p><p>She reaches into her garment and fishes out Urahara's Hōgyoku, plopping it into his hand.</p><p>"Care to explain why you made this?"</p><p>"Naivety," Urahara replies, closing his fist tightly over the orb. "We're going to have to escape into the World of the Living. It's the only way." </p><p>"Good thing I retrieved your other gizmos," Yoruichi smirks, gesturing to the Reiatsu-blocking Gigais draped against a boulder. "Hop to it, smartypants."</p>
<hr/><p><strong>AIZEN'S UNDERGROUND LABORATORY – THAT NIGHT<br/>
</strong>Gin and Tōsen both flinch when Aizen slams his fist against a wall, indenting the sediment. He is furious. </p><p>"Captain Shihōin was a variable we did not account for," the bespectacled Shinigami seethes. He takes a breath, his enraged eyes easing back into cool poise. "No matter. While we search for Urahara Kisuke, we will just have to set our sights elsewhere."</p><p>"Elsewhere?" Tōsen asks, craning his head. </p><p>"It is time for our expedition into Hueco Mundo," Aizen concludes. </p>
<hr/><p><strong>URAHARA SHOP – THE PRESENT<br/>
</strong>Ichigo sits back, having barely touched his food. He had always assumed Urahara's breakup with Soul Society was ugly, but this? Still, one loose thread bothers him:</p><p>"You were sentenced to death?" Ichigo asks. "That's different from banishment."</p><p>"Soul Society and I... eventually worked out an arrangement," Urahara cryptically answers, taking a sip of tea. "That's a whole 'nother story, and not a pretty one. Even though they stopped hunting me, I've never been able to clear my name. I'm still remembered as a murderous madman who deformed a generation of Gotei captains..."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Ichigo offers. </p><p>The shopkeeper tips back his hat, revealing a smile. </p><p>"Not much point in lingering on the past," he concludes with a twinkle in his eye. "We've got a pretty uncertain future ahead of us, so let's make the most of the present, shall we?"</p><p>
    
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. ARRANCAR ARRIVAL: The Last Quincy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Uryū makes a pilgrimage.</p>
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</p><p> <iframe></iframe></p><p><strong>SOMEWHERE IN WESTERN EUROPE – ONE WEEK LATER<br/>
</strong>The bus comes to a stop, the opening doors letting in November's chill. Uryū Ishida rises from his seat, clad in a sleekly-fitting wool jacket and a backpack slung over his arm. The only passenger remaining on the route, he steps out onto the road and watches as the bus drives off into the distance. His bespectacled eyes take in the snow-capped mountain range on the horizon, then to the town behind him. This is <strong>Saragud</strong>, the Quincy homeland.</p><p>He's come to make a pilgrimage.</p>
<hr/><p>Uryū strides along a cobblestone street, the number of cars infrequent enough that it's reasonably safe to walk on the road. He's observing the buildings, a curious mishmash of newer International Architecture buildings – all sleek angles, white paint, and glass facings – mingling with Romanesque ruins. The older structures would stand out in any region, with curved spikes jutting up from the parapets and stony stalactites carved into the windowsills, recalling the visage of horned beasts. These ancient buildings were bone-white upon construction, but the passage of time has weathered them into a stained gray.</p><p>This was where the Quincy Empire began a millennium ago. It was also where the last remnant of their civilization were massacred by the Shinigami.</p>
<hr/><p>Uryū has sidled into a restaurant, pricking up his ears as he listens to the other patrons' conversations. He's never heard so much spoken German before, the dialects challenging his fluency over the language. All of that tutoring as a child has finally paid off as he makes out the gist of different discussions. </p><p>"Would you like something to eat?" the waiter asks in German, his laconic voice making a meal out of the vowels.</p><p>"Yes, the rouladen, please," Uryū answers, his Japanese accent giving his German a rhythmic clip.</p><p>He stirs his coffee, studying the insignias carved into the wood paneling of the restaurant. Crosses and pentacles, along with the original Zeichen that distinguished the Quincy's First Empire. No practicing Quincy in the last thousand years used this latter insignia: the thinking went that so long as they were missing their Emperor, the five-pointed cross was too complete a symbol. Only in the era of resurrection could it be used again.</p><p>A portly patron thumbing through a newspaper takes notice of Uryū's wandering eyes. </p><p>"Odd-looking, aren't they?" the customer asks, gesturing to the insignias. "I've never bothered understanding what they mean myself, but they add a bit of local color. That's good for tourism, I suppose. Are you just passing through?"</p><p>"Yes," Uryū nods, taking a sip from his mug. "I arrived this morning."</p><p>"Came to see if all the folklore was true?" the man grins.</p><p>"Folklore?" Uryū repeats, confused.</p><p>"Oh, this town has a fabulist reputation," the man muses. "A lot of mystical silliness trumped up by our mayor to attract investment. We're not that interesting, I assure you."</p><p>Uryū responds with a polite nod, ready to end the interaction. </p><p>"If that's your sort of thing, then I suggest you visit our museum," the man offers. "Plenty of odd trinkets in there, too."</p><p>"I planned on it, thank you," Uryū nods, relieved when the patron resumes reading his paper.</p>
<hr/><p><strong>SARAGUD HISTORY MUSEUM – TWO HOURS LATER<br/>
</strong>"And here you can see the Zuerstgeboren tapestry, the most intact record of writing from the Sternenkreuz Empire," the museum guide explains to the small crowd, gesturing to a tattered blue fabric etched with silvered writing, encased behind antiseptic glass. "We refer to it as the 'Kaiser Gesang.' The inscription reads 'After 900 years, the seal shall shatter and the King's heartbeat will return. After 90 years..."</p><p>Uryū pays little heed to the guide, looking around at the exhibits. He recognizes a Quincy tunic, feeling a pang of fellowship with the headless mannequin wearing the aged uniform. The artifact is dated from the late 18th Century, meaning it must have belonged to the Second Empire. During that era, Quincy from around the world began returning to Saragud, convinced that it was time they reconstruct their civilization. They were swiftly attacked by the Shinigami and slaughtered down to the last child. Not that historians knew who the culprits were; the genocide of the Sternenkreuz's descendants has remained one of archeology's biggest mysteries.</p><p>"There's very little established record of this Emperor, except that he was worshipped with a religious reverence," the guide continues. "Unearthed scrolls have referred to him as <em>Yay-watch</em> –"</p><p>"<em>You-ha-vach</em>," Uryū interrupts.</p><p>"Excuse me?" the guide asks, taken aback. The other visitors turn to look at Uryū.</p><p>"His name was pronounced <em>YOU-ha-vach</em>," Uryū clarifies with erudite enunciation.</p><p>"Why yes, that is one interpretation," the guide continues, a little irritated. "However, the correct pronunciation has been a source of unsettled debate."</p><p><em>Trust me, it's settled</em>, Uryū thinks annoyedly, concluding that he'd be a more informative museum guide. </p><p>The group eventually disperses, the visitors wandering around to examine different artifacts. Uryū arrives at a glass case containing what he came all this way for: a broken sword with an eagle-encrusted pommel. With the blade cut off near the base, it is difficult to ascertain the exact shape and style the weapon took, but there is no mistaking the handle. This was the Quincy Emperor's weapon. Uryū halts before the exhibit, eyes peering down in awe at the rusted emblem of Quincy might. His mother's words waft through his memory:</p><p>
  <em>"That's how the story goes," Kanae Ishida told a seven-year-old Uryū at his bedside. "When a Quincy is most in need, he need only kneel before the Emperor's sword and swear an oath of fealty. Then his prayer will not only be heard, but answered."</em>
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  <em>Uryū listens with rapt attention, eyes wide. His mother's tale was meant as a bedtime story to lull him to sleep, but now his imagination is fully stoked.</em>
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  <em>"What are you doing?" Ryūken asks from the doorway, face stern. "Don't tell him that."</em>
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  <em>"Oh, it's just a comforting thought, Ryūken," Kanae replies, tenderly creasing Uryū's bedsheet to tuck him in.</em>
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  <em>"If you're going to be filling his head with that poison, then you better include the last part," Ryūken says humorlessly, striding into the room. He looms over his son and wife, eyes steely with disapproval.</em>
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  <em>"Should a Quincy go directly to the Emperor for aid, his prayer shall be answered, but at a terrible cost," Ryūken warns. "He will become forever bound to the Emperor's will, and to no good end."</em>
</p><p>Uryū reflects on the memory, gazing down at the broken blade. He kneels down, hesitates for a moment, and then utters the vow his mother told him.</p><p>"<em>Ich werfe mich vor dir nieder, und trinke glücklich das Blut meines Königs</em>."</p><p>There is a long, agonizing pause. Uryū opens his eyes: nothing has happened. He notices some of the visitors glaring at him and rises back up, embarrassed. It was just a silly bedtime story after all. </p>
<hr/><p><strong>SEVERAL HOURS LATER<br/>
</strong>It is now dark. Uryū walks alone along the storefronts, wistfully taking in the architecture. He didn't get what he came here for, but he's happy that he came. It is soothing to walk in the same streets that his ancestors once frequented.</p><p>He turns a corner into a dimly lit alleyway, resolving that it's probably time to retire to his hotel. He halts when the lamplight fizzles, casting the backstreet entirely in darkness. <em>Something's wrong</em>.</p><p>Three shadows spring from the black, seemingly materializing from the night. Uryū raises his arms defensively, only to be effortlessly pinned against the wall. His eyes widen as he makes out the trio of faces gazing back at him. These attackers are Quincy, frocked in hooded white cloaks and bearing the Zeichen emblem. </p><p>"Who are you?!" Uryū demands, struggling to break free. </p><p>"Who are we?" one of the hooded Quincy repeats back in a mesmeric, singsong rhythm. "Kindred spirits, familial relations, forgotten phantoms, or hallucinations? The reflections you seek atop the mountain's peak? We are the harbingers you've sought in this world of ignorant, mortal rot."</p><p><em>What the fuck? </em>Uryū thinks, flabbergasted.</p><p>The stranger draws back her hood, revealing a delicately androgynous face and tousled pink hair with a swath of deep purple darkening the bangs. She grins at Uryū with mad, piercing eyes. Her name is Berenice Gabrielli.</p><p>"Destiny, providence, kismet and fate," Gabrielli hisses gleefully. "You called on His Majesty, and we've answered not a moment too late!"</p><p>"That's enough, Berenice," another Quincy sighs, drawing back his hood to reveal a thin face distinguished by a full light-brown mustache and glasses. Curiously, he's carrying a silver briefcase. His name is Robert Accutrone. </p><p>"His Majesty heard your call for aid, Ishida Uryū," Accutrone explains. "You wish to have your Quincy powers restored, yes?"</p><p>Uryū looks from Gabrielli to Accutrone, sweat beading down his brow. </p><p>"Release me," he demands authoritatively, motioning to the third Quincy pinning him to the wall. </p><p>Accutrone gives the hooded Quincy a permissive nod and he relents, releasing his grip on Uryū. He draws back his hood, his eyes pale pools glaring through thin slits and lip engraved with a deep vertical scar. His name is Cang Du.</p><p>"We've come to resurrect your Quincy gift," Cang Du growls, his voice like cracked ice. "You should be rejoiced by our presence."</p><p>Uryū nervously pushes up his glasses, sizing the strangers up. His mind races as he tries to take stock of the offer.</p><p>"You can restore my powers?" he asks. "How?"</p><p>"You are getting ahead of yourself," Accutrone replies, kneeling down to pop open his suitcase. "Do you swear fealty to His Majesty? Do you vow to use your power to serve the Quincy?"</p><p>"I promise to help my friends... and my Quincy comrades," Uryū answers.</p><p>"Ah, a paradox of tragic portent," Gabrielli cackles. "You cannot serve one while protecting the other; that is the Quincy's bittersweet lament."</p><p>Uryū stares at the rhyming madwoman with frustration, unsure of what she means. </p><p>"It would not be in His Majesty's interest if Aizen prevails," Accutrone continues. "If you wish to regain your power to combat the Arrancar, then we can oblige. However, once that threat is dealt with, you will be called upon. And you will answer."</p><p>Uryū gulps, unsure of what he's signing up for. All he knows is that he cannot stand being powerless any longer. He nods. </p><p>"Very well," Accutrone concludes, reaching into his open briefcase. He produces a glowing Heilig Pfeil. The arrow pulsates with rich Reishi, shimmering in the shadows.</p><p>Gabrielli claps a hand over Uryū's mouth and pins him to the wall again, grinning in response to his muffled screams. Accutrone hands the arrow to Cang Du, who carefully positions it over Uryu's heart. He plunges it forward, the shaft of light driving slowly into the teenager's chest. Uryū struggles in Gabrielli's grip, writhing as the arrow sinks into him. It's agony. He just wants to get away from the pain, from these Quincy, and from Saragud. He wants to go home.</p><p>The tip of the Heilig Pfeil reaches Uryū's heart. He ignites in a blinding flash, illuminating the alleyway for a dazzling second. He doubles over, gasping and clutching at his unharmed chest. He can feel his powers returning to him, his awareness of Reishi rekindling. It feels more potent and sharper than before.</p><p>"You will meet us again," Cang Du declares. He and Gabrielli turn and retreat back into the shadows, seemingly slipping beneath the darkness like submerging into water. Accutrone picks up his briefcase and studies Uryū for a beat.</p><p>"A word of caution, Ishida Uryū," Accutrone says ruefully. "Kurosaki Ichigo will <em>never </em>be your ally. Remember that."</p><p>Uryū, coated in sweat, watches as Accutrone turns and disappears. He's alone now, breathing heavily in the alleyway. His relief is tempered by a sick unease, as if he has just made a Faustian bargain. These Quincy seemed different than he was expecting: more malevolent. The foreboding quickly dissipates into euphoria as his strength returns.</p><p>He wipes his brow, breaking into a smile as he feels his spiritual awareness returning to its full clarity. As his cognizance stirs awake once again, he realizes that he is being watched. He looks up to see a figure looming on the rooftop above, scrutinizing him.</p><p>It is his father, Ryūken.</p><p><em>He followed me all the way here?</em> Uryū realizes.</p><p>He suddenly feels a sense of resentment as his father judges him. He decides that Ryūken's disapproval will no longer weigh him down.</p><p>The father and son glare at each other for a long, simmering beat. Uryū pushes up his glasses, slides his hands into his pockets, and strides away. He will skip the hotel and return immediately back to Karakura Town. </p><p>
  
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. ARRANCAR ARRIVAL: Goodbye Halcyon Days</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aizen recruits his final asset.</p>
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  <em>Note: This chapter is still in outline form. I will update it with the fleshed-out version as soon as I can.</em>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>- KARAKURA TOWN: ONE WEEK AFTER ICHIGO BEGAN TRAINING WITH YORUICHI -<br/>
</strong>Tōshirō Hitsugaya sits on the rooftop of Orihime's apartment building, his legs dangling over the edge. He's been keeping to himself for the past week, harmonizing with Hyōrinmaru through Jinzen whenever he isn't gazing forlornly out at the skyline.</p><p>He frowns when Rangiku Matsumoto's bosom sinks onto his head, draping over his ashen hair. She offers a steaming bowl of noodles, waving it before his unamused face.</p><p>"Orihime just came home and prepared us supper," Rangiku announces chirpily. "Gonna eat this time?"</p><p>"I'll skip the poison this time, thank you," Tōshirō grumbles, wriggling out from under her chest. </p><p>"Aw, she's not a bad cook," the Lieutenant protests, plunking down beside the captain and helping herself to the dish. She slurps back the noodles, savoring their discordant flavors, and shoots Tōshirō a concerned look. "You shouldn't be alone this much. Why don't you come inside, play a board game with us?"</p><p>"We're on active duty," Tōshirō retorts. "There's no time for games." </p><p>Rangiku eyes him for a beat, then turns her gaze up to the moon.</p><p>"Are you thinking about Hinamori?"</p><p>"... Yes," Tōshirō answers. "All the time."</p><p>Rangiku sympathetically nods. She's been thinking about Gin a lot, remembering his parting words on Sōkyoku Hill.</p><p><em>"Too bad..." he told her after the Negación beam separated them. "It would have been nice if my capture lasted a little longer... Farewell, Rangiku. Sorry."</em> <b></b></p><p>Rangiku hears Tōshirō sniffling. She glances over and sees that he is struggling to repress tears. She sighs, recognizing the grief he's been shouldering. The true reason he volunteered to monitor Karakura Town was because he wanted to leave the Seiretei for a while and not be reminded of Momo. He needed to set aside mourning and focus on duty, vigilance. However, he cannot escape the memory of her: it'll follow him wherever he goes. </p><p>Rangiku affectionately runs her hand over Tōshirō's spiky hair. The two Shinigami sit together in silence, staring up at the nighttime sky.<b></b></p>
<hr/><p><b>• Stay At Your Post</b><br/>
A week after the captains passed through the Garganta, Hitsugaya calls Soul Society to inquire about the progress of the infiltration party. He is given no update and told to remain vigilant at his post in Karakura Town. Frustrated, Toshiro wonders aloud to Rangiku if something has gone wrong.<br/>
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<b>• Soundscape to Ardor</b><br/>
The Arrancar mount another surprise attack: a one-armed and demoted Grimmjow Jaegerjacques, the newly promoted Sexta Espada Luppi Antenor, Yammy Riyalgo, Wonderweiss, Yylfordt, and a dozen Gillian (who are more formidable in this revision — even against captains). Not only do Ichigo, Toshiro, Rangiku, Rukia, and Renji spring into action, but the threat compels the Visoreds to leave their compound. Hachigen stays behind with Orihime, who he has advised is not yet ready to face the Arrancar. Orihime is frustrated by this and confesses how she hates feeling useless (similar to Uryu’s confession to her). Hachi assures her that she is not useless and that her potential is great should she continue honing her abilities.</p><p>Hitsugaya settles his score with Yylfordt, trouncing the Arrancar and slaying him. Love, Lisa, Hiyori, and Kensei fight Luppi – demonstrating their Shikais for the first time. At first it seems that the new Sexta Espada's Ressurrección is too much for them, but then Love asks him if he knows what a "jobber" is. Luppi's confused. Love explains the trope from wrestling, and how a jobber is someone who gets the shit kicked out of them just to make others look good. </p><p>"That's you," the Visored declares before he and his comrades proceed to embarrass Luppi, completely overwhelming him. They'd land a killing blow, but Wonderweiss joins in on the fun and proves surprisingly harder to deal with.</p><p><br/>
Rukia and Renji contend with the Gillian while Urahara Kisuke toys with Yammy. Meanwhile, Ichigo has his rematch against Grimmjow but does not activate his Bankai, overwhelming the one-armed Espada's base form with his Visored Shikai — even utilizing some Hakuda — until his mask breaks. He is rescued by Rukia before Shinji arrives and outclasses Grimmjow.<br/>
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When a Negación beam casts down to return a defeated Yammy back to Hueco Mundo, the infuriated Arrancar talks smack to Urahara — boasting that next time, he will return with Lord Aizen, and that they will obliterate him and the rest of Karakura Town. This comment catches Urahara’s attention.<br/>
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Meanwhile, Ulquiorra materializes before the Visoreds' compound and bypasses Hachigen's barrier with a tool specially given to him by Aizen. Inside, he surprises Hachi and Orihime and requests that Orihime come with him. Hachi puts up a spirited defense, encasing Ulquiorra with multiple layers of Kido. This is when we first see the Arrancar demonstrate his frightening prowess, gradually shattering Hachi’s formidable Kido and bridging the distance between him and the Visored with Sonído. Ulquiorra unsheathes his blade and cuts Hachigen down, advising him not to rise again. Hachi attempts to encumber Uquiorra with one last Kido while begging Orihime to flee, but his heroism is met with a killing strike by Ulquiorra.<br/>
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Orihime is frozen in fear. Ulquiorra ridicules the futility of Hachi’s gesture before turning his attention to her, warning that the rest of her friends will be next if she does not come quietly to Hueco Mundo. Overwhelmed by a mixture of grief and guilt, Orihime agrees. Ulquiorra gives her the arm band that will make her intangible and allows her to visit one person before departing. The Espada then teleports across the city to retrieve Grimmjow, telling him that their mission is done and to depart for Hueco Mundo.<br/>
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The Visoreds return to their compound to find Hachigen slain and Orihime missing. They mourn the loss of their comrade while Ichigo panics over Inoue's presumed kidnapping. Meanwhile, Orihime ventures to Tatsuki’s home in the middle of the night, giving a tearful goodbye to her sleeping best friend, admitting that she loves Ichigo, before departing for Hueco Mundo. After Orihime leaves, Tatsuki awakes calling out for her, believing she had just dreamt of her.</p><p><br/>
• <b>Stand Down</b><br/>
Hitsugaya Soul-Skypes Yamamoto with Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, and Rangiku present. Unlike in the <b>Canon</b>, the Gotei has no suspicion that Orihime defected to Aizen, but are fully confident that she was kidnapped, presumably for her unique powers. An agitated Ichigo begs Yamamoto to direct Sui-Feng’s squad to prioritize finding and rescuing Inoue.<br/>
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The Captain-Commander reveals that Soul Society lost contact with the infiltration squad immediately after they passed through the Garganta and have heard no word from them since. Toshiro is horrified while a panicked Ichigo offers to venture into Hueco Mundo to rescue Orihime himself. Yamamoto forbids this: three captains and their subordinates are missing and possibly dead and it is simply too risky to make more attempts to infiltrate Hueco Mundo.<br/>
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The Captain-Commander concludes that the Gotei will prepare to mount a defense for whenever Aizen makes his move, forbidding everyone from taking any action until further orders. Hitsugaya thanks Yamamoto and ends the call, advising Ichigo to heed Yamamoto’s order. Ichigo, furious, storms out while Rukia and Renji bite their tongues.<br/>
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• <b>Reclaiming the Title</b><br/>
Orihime is presented before Aizen Sosuke. He praises her power, describing it as <em>divine</em>. She heals Grimmjow, who promptly kills Luppi and reclaims his spot as the Sexta Espada.<br/>
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• <b>Charmed to the End</b><br/>
The Visoreds give Hachi a Viking Funeral at Urahara’s shop, having abandoned their compromised hideout. Tessai Tsukabishi encases Hachi’s body in a coffin of Kido and guides it into a fire as the others watch in silence, Ichigo present.<br/>
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• <b>Just So Crazy That It Might Work</b><br/>
The next day at school, Tatsuki confronts Ichigo about Orihime’s disappearance. Their argument plays out like it did in the <b>Canon</b>. Shamed and unwilling to sit idly by, Ichigo goes to Urahara’s shop to ask if there is any way to safely infiltrate Hueco Mundo.<br/>
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Urahara theorizes that Aizen had cloaked the perimeter of his stronghold with a barrier that would scramble the trajectory of any Garganta that did not carry his forces’ unique signature. He adds that Mayuri is brilliant, but underestimated Aizen’s thoroughness and set coordinates that were too close to Las Noches and that the infiltration party was likely cast in opposite directions across the far reaches of the Hollow realm when they stepped through the Garganta.<br/>
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Urahara concludes that the only safe way to enter Hueco Mundo is to land in the far-reaches of its wilderness, but that the terrain would be perilous.<br/>
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Ichigo begs Urahara to create a Garganta for him, insisting that he will rescue Orihime and the captains himself. Chad appears and corrects Ichigo: the two of them will save Orihime together. He demonstrates his improved strength and a heartened Ichigo accepts his help. They are interrupted <em>again</em> when Renji and Rukia appear, the Shinigami chiding Ichigo for thinking that they were going to take Yamamoto’s orders lying down. They are all interrupted <em>yet again</em> when Uryu appears, surprising everyone with his resurrected Quincy powers.<br/>
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The happy reunion is interrupted <em>one more time</em> by Shinji, who has been standing back observing the entire exchange, stating that he and his comrades will <em>not</em> be joining — concluding that he will not risk any more Visored lives to help solve Soul Society’s problems. Ichigo tells Shinji that he understands and thanks him for helping him conquer his inner hollow. Urahara opens a Garganta and the Nakama all enter.</p><p> </p><p>
  
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Fifth Arc: Hueco Mundo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> <iframe></iframe> </p><p><strong>• Funeral Party<br/></strong>Orihime is brought shackled to an Espada gathering. She is the guest of honor, and absolutely terrified by the warriors around the table. Here is where we meet the rest of the Espada, getting a hint of their dynamics as they snipe at each other. Aizen arrives, announcing Orihime as a very valuable guest. He makes it clear that she is to be "protected" during her stay with them.<strong><br/><br/>• The Outskirts of Hueco Mundo<br/></strong>The Nakama land in a valley of thorns, with gnarled spikes jutting far into a night sky. Before they can even get their bearings, a dozen small Hollows descend upon them, gravitating to their Reiatsu. Uryu, eager to flex his reawakened powers, dispatches all of them with a spam of his <em>Heilig Pfeil</em>. Rukia ruefully reminds Ishida that his power kills Hollows outright whereas she and Renji could cleanse them for reincarnation in Soul Society, asking that he show more restraint going forward. The Nakama ventures through the valley until the the thickets of thorns give way to an unimaginably tall mountain ridge. Ichigo concludes that they’ll have to scale it to escape the valley. The Nakama begin their climb, a flustered Rukia admitting that she’s had a fear of heights ever since Ichigo threw her down to Renji from the Sokyoku arches.</p><p><strong>Karakura Town<br/></strong>Back in the world of the living, Hitsugaya is irate upon discovering that Renji and Rukia are missing, Worried that they may have made a rash decision, Toshiro and Rangiku visit the Kurosaki household to find Ichigo, not wearing their gigais so they won’t be seen. They are shocked when Karin can plainly see them tiptoeing across the living room, having not realized that she can see spirits. She asks them what they’re doing in her house and they collapse in embarrassment. Isshin enters, asking what the commotion is about. Toshiro and Rangiku are both flabbergasted when they see him, simultaneously exclaiming “Captain Shiba?!” Isshin is taken aback, sheepishly commenting that it's been a while since they'd last seen each other. </p><p><strong>• The Outskirts of Hueco Mundo<br/></strong>The Nakama continue scaling the mountain, the heights becoming hair-raising. Chad notes that the air feels noticeably richer to him than it did in the world of the living. They find a cave entrance and journey through the mountain, running into all manner of nasty Hollows during their claustrophobic journey.</p><p>They finally reach the other end of the mountain, stepping out onto a pronounced rocky cliff and getting their first good look at the vast expanse of Hueco Mundo’s desert: bleached bright by an unforgiving sun, with Las Noches visible in the far distance. While everyone is preoccupied with the view, Rukia gets vertigo from the heights and turns away. She freezes in shock -- spotting an Arrancar lounging on a boulder right by the cave’s entrance. It is Coyote Starrk. Snapping his eyes open, he grumbles that even after venturing out into the middle of nowhere, he still can’t get some respite. </p><p>Rukia grips the hilt of her Zanpakuto and demands that the Arrancar identify himself, alerting everyone to his presence. Before Starrk can answer, Lilynette Gingerbuck leaps out from behind the rock, punching him in the head and chiding him for reacting so nonchalantly before the intruders. The Nakama watch in bemusement as Coyote and Lilynette snipe at each other: Lilynette points out that these strangers are Shinigami, making them enemies of Lord Aizen and therefore their enemies by association. Starrk processes this and shrugs, admitting that she is technically correct. The pint-sized Arrancar only grows more irate, asking Starrk why he hasn’t killed them already. </p><p>Uryu’s heard enough: he materializes his bow and fires a Heilig Pfeil — which Starrk nonchalantly deflects with a flick of his wrist. The Arrancar tells them all to scram, aiming his palm down towards the rocky ground and firing a small Cero, the blast cutting clean through the cliff and severing it from the mountain. The Nakama comically scream as they plummet, the dislodged slab of cliff grinding down the mountainside like a sled, while Starrk and Lilynette watch from above, suspended in the air. Lilynette suggests that they tell Lord Aizen. Starrk, picking at his ear with a pinky, ponders for a beat and then agrees, the two Arrancar zipping away in a flash of Sonído. </p><p>The slab of rock skids down until it crashes at the bottom of the mountain, launching the Nakama head-first into the sand. They regroup, Renji wondering if they had just encountered a member of the Espada. Suddenly, the sand beneath begins to sift and they are all swallowed into the ground.</p><p>
  <strong>• Karakura Town</strong>
</p><p>We are in the Kurosaki household's kitchen. Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, and Isshin are all sitting in awkward silence at the table. Rangiku is visibly excited to see him again while Toshiro is more guarded, studying him carefully. Karin watches from the other room, wondering how her dumb dad knows these two Shinigami.</p><p>Toshiro is the first to break the silence: recounting how Soul Society thought Isshin was dead for the past 18 years (pardon me if that timeline isn’t absolutely correct). Isshin pushes back against this, stating that Yamamoto had probably been aware of his whereabouts, regardless of whatever official story the Gotei stuck with. Toshiro pointedly asks Isshin why he has been hiding out in the world of the living. Isshin dismisses it as a long story, but after some more plying from Rangiku, he relents and explains what happened on the fateful day he disappeared. </p><p>We get a partial <strong>flashback</strong> to “<em>Everything But the Rain</em>,” only it’s told strictly from Isshin’s POV: when he was Isshin Shiba, captain of the 10th Division. We see third seat Hitsugaya report the string of Shinigami deaths in Naruki City, Isshin deciding to investigate the matter by himself and running into a vicious, horned creature that was stronger than any Hollow he had ever encountered before. During the battle, Isshin is cut from behind by a mysterious figure — we don’t see who — and he struggles to fend off the Hollow while nursing a grievous wound. The monster lunges at him as he roars back in defiance… </p><p>… and we leave the <strong>flashback</strong>, Isshin trailing off into a long, contemplative silence. Toshiro and Rangiku, both hanging on the suspense, grow impatient and simultaneously ask what happened next. Isshin, with closed eyes, merely smiles and answers that an angel saved him. He adds that he won’t delve any deeper, but that the long and short of it was that he lost his Shinigami powers in the intervening years and that they had only recently returned. Toshiro, opting not to press him on the matter, asks where Ichigo is. Isshin leans back, stating that Ichigo and his friends had gone to save “that nice girl” Orihime from Hueco Mundo.</p><p>Hitsugaya, eyes bulging, curses them for being so rash, worrying that they'll get themselves killed. Isshin retorts that he's not too worried, stating that his son always had a talent for falling ass backward into victory. Leaning forward, he adds that it was high time that Toshiro meet Kisuke Urahara.</p><p> </p><p>
  
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  <strong>• Las Noches</strong>
</p><p>Aizen, Gin, and Tosen convene a meeting with all of the Espada. Waiting until tea is served, Aizen asks Starrk to share his discovery with the rest of the class. Starrk recounts his run-in with the Shinigami, mentioning a kid with funny orange hair. Aizen cuts him off, concluding that the intruders are Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends coming to save Orihime Inoue, presumably given passage by Kisuke Urahara. Grimmjow, eager to settle his score, attempts to leave and confront Ichigo, only for Aizen to discourage him with a flex of his Reiatsu. Aizen advises that they all wait and see if Ichigo’s band can even reach Las Noches. If they do, then the Espada can deal with them as they please.</p><p>Aizen orders everyone to leave — save for Starrk. When they are alone, Aizen asks the Arrancar why he and Lilynette had left Las Noches for the mountains. Starrk answers that they just wanted to be alone for a little while. Aizen presses him, asking why he didn’t engage the intruders — to which Starrk replies that he just didn’t feel like it. </p><p>With a smile, Aizen tells Starrk that it is to be expected that he would have trouble adjusting to being part of a unit — noting that his aspect is “Solitude,” after all. In an unusual moment of candor, Aizen tells Starrk that he too has felt solitude all of his life. He recalls the first group he was ever a part of: a band of street urchins in the Rukongai. Aizen adds that the other children came to look up him -- even love him -- but he could only feel <em>contempt</em> for them in return. They were incapable of understanding him because they couldn’t comprehend his potential. Aizen concludes that he and Starrk were once alike, but Starrk is now among equals, ruled by someone of superior strength, and therefore understood for the first time. He tells Starrk to reflect on that the next time he encounters an enemy.</p><p><strong>• Forest of Menos<br/></strong>The Nakama land in a subterranean realm teeming with quartz-encrusted trees. They are immediately attacked by two larges Menos. The Nakama brace for combat, only for Isane Kotetsu and Yumichika Ayasegawa to destry the beasts in a sneak attack. The two Shinigami, both looking worse for wear, explain that they too were ensnared by the Forest of Menos while trudging towards Las Noches. They recall being flung into a far corner of Hueco Mundo immediately after passing through Mayuri’s Garganta, confirming Urahara’s theory that Las Noches was cloaked in a portal-tampering barrier. </p><p>Ichigo is dispirited, guessing that they all must be trapped if Isane and Yumichika hadn’t already escaped from the forest. They concur, recounting how they hadn’t been able to find a way out.</p><p>It is here where they meet Nel Tu, Dondochakka and Pesche. They confuse Nel for a human and try to save her, only to realize that she is an Arrancar playing with were playing her "brothers." They journeyed down to the Forest of Menos to eat: Nel drinks from a small pool of Hollows that are born from a fissure in the ground like a geyser. Rukia, Renji, and Uryu are shocked by the revelation that some Hollows are born naturally in Hueco Mundo. Nel immediately takes a liking to Ichigo, recommending that Dondachakka and Pesche can show everyone a route that leads out of the forest. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches</strong>
</p><p>Ulquiorra enters Orihime’s chamber with Loly and Menoly in tow, announcing that Lord Aizen requests her presence. Traumatized by Hachi’s death, Orihime regards the Espada with a mixture of disgust and fear as Loly and Menoly escort her away. They take her to Aizen’s chamber, where he rests in a chair gazing out at the Hueco Mundo wasteland. He rises from his seat and turns to them, eliciting a gasp from Loly and Menoly. Aizen is in a horrible state — gaunt and pale, varicose veins sprawling out from beneath his Arrancar garb. He orders the guards to leave him alone with Orihime — sparking Loly’s jealous resentment of her. </p><p>Aizen returns to his seat, politely asking Orihime to come and heal him. She gingerly does so while he watches her with fascination, the blackened veins branching from his chest receding. He shows her the Hōgyoku, noting that it has become cracked from “overuse.” The orb throbs with intense light. Aizen tells Orihime that the Hōgyoku is responding to her presence: it has a kinship with something inside of her -- something that hails from the heavens. He shares his analysis of her powers and rhetorically asks if she will help him in the war to come. </p><p>Orihime, having been returned to her quarters, reflects on what Aizen told her. She resolves to use her power to destroy the Hōgyoku if given the chance. </p><p>
  <strong>• The Hueco Mundo Desert</strong>
</p><p>The Nakama make camp after emerging from the Forest of Menos, Isane healing everyone’s injuries. Nel have a conversation where the child asks her why she's so hostile to Hollows. Rukia explains that people close to her have been killed by them. Nel, recognizing that the topic makes Rukia sad, responds that she too feels sadness — lots of it, and all the time! Rukia, endeared, tells Nel that she’s not like the other Hollows she’s encountered. Their conversation turns to the matter of the heart, Nel pouting that she doesn’t know where hers went. Rukia is moved and tries to cheer the little Arrancar up in return. She holds her fist out between them, telling Nel that her heart exists there, in the space between them. Nel doesn't understand, but is delighted nonetheless. Renji asks Rukia where she got that pearl of wisdom from. She honestly can't recall, suggesting that maybe it was Captain Ukitake. </p><p>Meanwhile, Ichigo sits with Ishida and Chad, happily observing that they both seem a lot stronger than before. Ishida politely deflects the praise while Chad discloses that he has felt himself becoming stronger ever since they entered Hueco Mundo. </p><p>Yumichika watches Ichigo interact with his friends. He drolly remarks to Isane that the success of their mission now rests on the shoulders of an immature teenager.</p><p>
  <strong>• Soul Society</strong>
</p><p>Yamamoto convenes a meeting with the remaining captains: Shunsui Kyoraku, Jushiro Ukitake, Byakuya Kuchiki, and Sajin Komamura. Toshiro Hitsugaya has returned to deliver his report in person, announcing from the top that Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia had disobeyed Yama’s orders and left for Hueco Mundo. Byakuya chides Hitsugaya for letting his sister abandon her post under his nose. Toshiro apologizes, but adds that this isn’t why he’s returned to Soul Society — insisting that there is something that the Captain-Commander needs to hear. To the captains’ shock, Kisuke Urahara enters the chamber. </p><p>Toshiro sheepishly admits that he smuggled Urahara along with him when he returned through the Senkaimon. Komamura questions why Toshiro would bring a known exile into Soul Society. Yamamoto states he had already deduced Urahara’s innocence after Aizen’s defection. “What I do not understand,” Yama adds, locking eyes with Urahara, “is why you’ve chosen to return now, after all this time."</p><p>Urahara replies that it’s because he has figured out Aizen’s plan -- and he will need Soul Society’s help to thwart him. Toshiro gives Yamamoto a look, beseeching him to hear the exile out. Kyoraku cheekily cuts through the tense silence, prodding Kisuke to get on with it already. </p><p>Urahara, needing no further prompting, shares what the Arrancar named Yammy had told him after their battle: that Aizen himself would come to Karakura Town and “obliterate” it. Urahara found this statement odd, noting that Aizen had no reason to destroy the city — unless it was a means to an end. Yamamoto is startled, quickly grasping at what Urahara is getting at. “The Ōken” he whispers. Urahara nods vigorously, explaining what the Ōken is to the uninitiated in the room: a key to the Royal Realm. Yamamoto, reserving some skepticism, notes that the Ōken was the most closely guarded secret in Soul Society. Until today, he thought he was the only Shinigami who knew of it. Urahara, with some edge in his voice, points out that if he himself could learn of the Ōken, then so could Sosuke Aizen. </p><p>Yamamoto, head bowed, concludes that Aizen could only be aiming to infiltrate the Royal Realm for one purpose. Ukitake gasps, recalling Aizen’s words to him — “I alone shall stand in heaven” — exclaiming that Aizen’s goal must be to assassinate the Soul King. Urahara concurs, noting that Aizen could only create the Ōken by harvesting 100,000 souls and the <em>Jūreichi</em> -- the most spiritually dense location in the world of the living -- which is currently Karakura Town. He adds that Aizen would need a shard of the Soul King -- one of the infinitesimal slivers that Reiō had left of himself across the realms -- in order to initiate the ritual. Kyoraku interjects that shards of the Soul King were extremely rare, their existence not even wholly confirmed. </p><p>There is a pregnant silence as Yamamoto stares Urahara down, the Captain-Commander intuiting that “Aizen will use his Hōgyoku to create the Ōken.”</p><p>All the captains look to Urahara, who explains that when he and Aizen forged their respective Hōgyokus, the key component for both <em>was a shard of Reiō</em>. By taking the sliver and manipulating it through endless experimentation, they were able to artificially recreate Reiō’s essence -- a Reiatsu that did not exist outside of the Royal Realm. Exposure to this spiritual energy could evolve Hollows or Shinigami with varying results. </p><p>Urahara notes that Aizen’s Hōgyoku was highly imperfect: while it was effective at evolving Hollows, it would repeatedly result in “Soul Suicide” if used on a Shinigami -- like Shinji Hirako and the other Gotei members that Aizen experimented on. He admits that his own Hōgyoku was invertedly flawed -- successful at hybridizing Shinigami but ineffective with Hollows. </p><p>Urahara concludes that Aizen stole his Hōgyoku to merge it with his own, forging one fully realized recreation of the Soul King’s energy. With it, he could carve out Karakura Town and its entire population from existence and reforge them into the Ōken. The Hōgyoku would be destroyed by the process, but by then it would have already fulfilled its use to Aizen: amassing a formidable army to help him storm the Royal Realm. </p><p>Urahara adds there was one more important detail he derived from Yammy’s claim — that Aizen would come “next time,” meaning that his full-scale attack on Karakura Town was imminent. Everyone turns to Yamamoto, who remains silent for a long beat, until he asks: what do you need from us? </p><p>Urahara breaks into a grin as he fans himself and cheerfully explains that he’ll just need to borrow the entire 12th Division and any laborers Soul Society has on hand. Suddenly, Yoruichi Shihōin flashes beside Byakuya Kuchiki, teasingly asking if his Shunpo had gotten any faster. She then turns her attention to Yama, adding that she too will be needing something — her Zanpakuto, which has been kept locked in the 2nd Division barracks ever since her abdication. </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>The Perimeter of Las Noches</strong>
</p><p>The Nakama reaches one of Las Noches’ flanks. Ichigo and Renji crack the wall open and the group enters. They are promptly separated when five trap doors trigger beneath them. We cut to Szayelaparro Granz in Las Noches’ control room, grinning as he watches the Nakama tumble down on the monitor screen before him. The Octava Espada remarks that the rats were in his maze, now. </p><p>- The group has now been splintered into five factions:</p><p>a) Ichigo is paired with Nel.</p><p>b) Chad is paired with Isane.</p><p>c) Renji is grouped with Yumichika, Dondochakka, and Pesche.</p><p>d) Ishida is by himself.</p><p>e) Rukia is by herself. </p><p>Dumped into different sections of the fortress, the divided Nakama start making their way through the corridors. Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida do <strong>not</strong> run into any Privaron Espada.</p><p>
  <strong>• Aaroniero’s Palace</strong>
</p><p>The first encounter is Rukia running into Aaroniero Arruruerie. Their fight plays out exactly as it did in the <strong>Canon</strong> — culminating in her remembering Kaien Shiba’s telling her his philosophy about “the heart” (which is, no joke, my favorite moment in the entire series). She musters her remaining strength to cast <em>San no mai, Shirafune</em> -- restructuring her broken sword with ice and impaling the Gillian Espada’s cranial encasement. Both combatants crash to the ground as <em>Glotonería</em> explodes into a torrent of viscera. </p><p>
  <strong>• The Outskirts of Hueco Mundo</strong>
</p><p>Suí-Fēng, Kenpachi Zaraki, and Yachiru Kusajishi stand at the peak of the mountain ridge that the Nakama had journeyed into earlier. All of them are battle worn after having fought way through the outer reaches of Hueco Mundo's wilderness. They gaze down at Las Noches -- a mere dot on the horizon. Suí-Fēng grins with relief, remarking that they’re nearly there. Marechiyo Ōmaeda crawls up behind them, exhausted and complaining that now they have to climb all the way down. Suí-Fēng gives him a kick to the head, telling him to either get in better shape or stop whining. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches </strong>
</p><p>Ichigo is confronted by Ulquiorra Cifer. Their altercation plays out like it did in the Canon, except that Ichigo uses a Visored Shikai instead of his Bankai (a Visored Bankai tends to be highly volatile / Shinji warned him not to use it in battle). Ulquiorra tanks the Getsuga Tenshou, stomps Ichigo, and reveals that he is only the fourth Espada. He impales Ichigo through the right side of his chest and leaves him in a heap. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - Continued</strong>
</p><p>Chad and Isane turn a corner and are confronted by Yammy Riyalgo. The Décima Espada voices his disappointment in running into Chad again, boasting that he had mopped the floor with him before. He changes his tune when Chad challenges him with a powerful strike. The Arrancar observes with pleasure that the human isn’t as pathetic as the last time they fought. They duke it out, Chad demonstrating <em>El Directo</em>, tanking Yammy’s powerful punches and responding with his own. The Arrancar grows frustrated, warning Chad not to get cocky before punching a <em>Bala</em> down into his exposed knee, sending him off-balance. Yammy capitalizes on the opening and fires dozens of Balas into Chad’s chest, blasting him through a wall. He then turns his attention towards Isane, who will not fare any better. She averts him through Kido, Shunpo, and her wiles, but he eventually catches her torso in a full grip, gleefully threatening to squeeze until her head pops off. </p><p>Before Yammy can finish making his threat, he is sucker-punched with volcanic force by Chad, the impact sending him skidding across the ground. Chad reveals his offense-oriented arm -- <em>Brazo Izquierda del Diablo</em> — and proceeds to pummel the Arrancar, putting his back against a wall. Chad tells Yammy that their battle has helped him confirm that his powers -- whatever they may be -- are similar to that of a Hollow, and that Hueco Mundo has coaxed out a new level of strength in him. This draws a guffaw from the punch-drunk Yammy, who mocks the human for thinking his power could ever compare to an Arrancar. Chad responds by punch Yammy square in the solar plexus with <em>La Muerte</em> — the shockwave indenting a badass skull into the wall behind the Décima Espada, who is now knocked the fuck out. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - Continued</strong>
</p><p>Ulquiorra visits Orihime to inform her that Rukia Kuchiki has died — and that he has dispatched Ichigo Kurosaki with his own hand. Orihime is frozen in devastation and nearly despairs, but is suddenly seized with an intangible feeling that steadies her. Composing herself, she stares the Espada down and refuses to believe him. She states that ever since she learned that her friends had come to rescue her, she could feel her heart resonating with theirs. Even now, she could still sense them all beating. Ulquiorra, unimpressed by the sentiment, mockingly questions what a “heart” is. He wonders aloud if he’d find Orihime’s heart by tearing open her chest or cracking open her skull. </p><p>Ulquiorra lets his question linger. After a beat, he adds that Lord Aizen has asked for her and that she may visit his chambers unaccompanied. He says that Aizen had granted her permission to roam Las Noches without an escort. The Espada casts his cold eyes at her, advising that she not keep Lord Aizen waiting, and makes his leave. Orihime is left rattled, her conviction cracked by Ulquiorra’s taunt. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - Szayelaparro’s Laboratory </strong>
</p><p>Renji, Yumichika, and their unwanted Arrancar buddies stumble upon Szayelapparo Granz’s laboratory. Szayel, after introducing himself, notes that he doesn’t like close combat and that he will let his favorite test subjects fight in his stead. He unleashes the reanimated cadavers of the Privaron Espada Dordroni Alessandro Del Socaccio, Cirucci Sanderwicci, and the recently-departed Luppi Antenor. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - Continued</strong>
</p><p>An unaccompanied Orihime enters Aizen’s quarters. He looks battered and drained once again, beckoning her to come and reject his wounds. As Orihime heals Aizen, she gingerly asks if what Ulquiorra said is true: that Ichigo and Rukia are dead. Aizen responds that it certainly appears so, but counters by asking if she has faith in her friends. Orihime nods yes, eliciting a smile from Aizen — who caresses her hair in an uncomfortably flirtatious manner, telling her that she possesses an exceptionally pure soul and a radiant heart.</p><p>"The Arrancar, however, do not have hearts," Aizen muses. Orihime focuses on reversing the purplish contusion stemming from his chest, her fear of him radiating from her expressive eyes. </p><p>"They lost their hearts when Hollowfication overtook them," Aizen continues. "Each Espada represents an aspect of death -- did you know that? Or, to be more precise, each are defined by whatever human foible led them astray when they became spirits. They were so consumed by the petty grievances of their mortal existences that they were overtaken by them entirely, left to mindlessly feed in the hopes of alleviating an itch they can never hope to scratch. Like children throwing an endless fit from teething."</p><p>Aizen leans forward, his lips drawing close to Orihime's ear as if he is imparting a secret. </p><p>"The Arrancar are <em>pathetic</em> creatures," Aizen tells her. "They were all damned long before I came here."</p><p>Aizen sits back, his wounds now healed. He grants Orihime permission to return to her quarters. She hurriedly makes her exit. When she reaches the chamber door, Aizen calls after her.</p><p>"Or you may roam the castle to your radiant heart's content," Aizen says with the soft-spoken warmth . "I trust you, Orihime."</p><p>Orihime gazes back at him, startled. She turns and shuts the chamber door behind her. Aizen rises from his seat, letting out an exhale of satisfaction as he brushes his fingertips along his freshly healed chest. From the shadows emerges Gin Ichimaru, who had been observing the entire interaction.</p><p>"The way you are with that woman sure is creepy, Captain Aizen,” Gin cheekily remarks.</p><p>Aizen ignores the observation and strides over to his balcony. He gazes out at the Hueco Mundo wasteland.</p><p>"I am ready, Gin," he tells his subordinate. "Soon enough, we'll need not set foot in this place ever again." </p><p>Orihime reaches her chamber entrance and pauses. Frozen in uncertainty, she obsesses over Aizen’s suggestion that she “roam the castle.” Ichigo and Rukia flit through her mind: She resolves to save them. </p><p>Orihime runs through the hallways, unsure of where they lead, until she is ambushed by Loly and Menoly. Grimmjow intervenes, grievously injuring both Arrancars (he does not blow off Menoly’s top half like he did in the <strong>Canon</strong>, however). The Espada tells Orihime that he will take her to Ichigo. She insists on healing Loly and Menoly’s injuries first, saving their lives.</p><p>Grimmjow takes Orihime to an unconscious Ichigo and Nel Tu. Unlike in the <strong>Canon</strong>, Ulquiorra Cifer <strong>does not</strong> appear to prevent Ichigo’s resuscitation. Orihime brings Ichigo back to consciousness, but is reluctant to fully revive him. She does not want him to be hurt all over again. Ichigo asks her to finish healing him; he wants to settle the score as much as Grimmjow does.</p><p>Grimmjow demands his rematch, and Ichigo gives it to him: after setting Orihime and Nel on a pillar, he immediately activates Tensa Zangetsu while Grimmjow grinds <em>Pantera </em>into release. During their battle, Ichigo goes Visored despite the risks of manifesting his mask while in Bankai, Grimmjow’s power proving too formidable. Orihime has already seen Ichigo Hollowfied before, but she is still visibly disturbed by his mask -- having a hard time suppressing her fear of him. The memories of her brother and her captivity in Hueco Mundo keeps her from trusting him fully. This swiftly chips away at Ichigo's morale; he is reluctant to escalate his Visored powers left he further alienate Orihime. Nel realized what is happening and beseeches Orihime to recognize the toll that her fear was taking on Ichigo. This prompts Orihime to beg Ichigo not to get hurt -- tacitly expressing her feelings for him. Ichigo rallies and beats Grimmjow; he even overcomes the Arrancar's signature attack, <em>Desgarrón</em>, and deals a decisive slash that leaves the Espada unconscious. </p><p>
  <strong>• Szayelaparro’s Laboratory </strong>
</p><p>Luppi Antenor's reanimated corpse has released <em>Trepadora</em>, his tentacles swinging wildly at Renji and Yumichika. Renji responds with his Bankai, <em>Hihiō Zabimaru.</em> The bamboo snake weaves along Luppi's tentacles until its jaws reach the Arrancar, firing <em>Hikotsu Taihō</em> at point-blank range. The force of the blast wipes out Luppi and the other Privaron Espada while blowing the roof off Szayel's lab, bringing the battle into daylight. Amidst the smoke, Yumichika lunges at Szayel and lands a slash, telling him that he had treated his fallen comrades disgracefully. This only serves to piss the mad scientist off. He activates his Resurreción, <em>Fornicarás</em>, and promptly swallows the two Shinigami with his tendrils.</p><p>
  <strong>• The Hueco Mundo Dunes</strong>
</p><p>Ichigo flies back up the pillar to retrieve Orihime, asking her if she’s alright. Orihime is overcome as she sees Ichigo’s gentleness return, feeling like she’s recognizing him for the first time since her abduction. Surprising even herself in the spur of the moment, she reaches out and kisses him, Nel watching with slack-jawed awe. Inoue breaks from Ichigo’s lips and sees that he is in a state of shock, blushing scarlet. Panicking, she apologizes. Ichigo, frozen in bashful terror for a beat, tells her it’s fine, killing the mood before it could even get started. Orihime immediately breaks into her silly demeanor, playing off the kiss as a “thank you” gesture. They settle back at ease with each other and Ichigo brings them back down to the ground, Nel asking him if that’s how all humans thank each other. </p><p>Before they can strategize their next move, Grimmjow gets back up to continue fighting. He is sneak-attacked by Nnoitra Gilga, the crescent axe nearly bifurcating his chest. An exhausted Ichigo successfully defends Grimmjow from a killing strike, but Nnoitra begins battering him around while his lackey, Tesra Lindocruz, subdues Orihime. </p><p>Things play out similarly to how they did in the Canon: Nnoitra recognizes Nel and outs her as a former Espada. Ichigo continues to fight and makes a last-ditch effort by thrusting Tensa Zangetsu through Nnoitra’s eyepatch. The Espada reveals that Ichigo had only stabbed his Hollow hole and proceeds to beat the everloving shit out of him while Orihime is forced to watch.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>This chapter is pending! It will detail the origin of Nnoitra and Nelliel's rivalry, and give broader context to the early Espada.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>These three climactic battles are juxtaposed together, cross-cutting back and forth.</p><p>
  <strong>- Szayelapparo’s Laboratory | Part I</strong>
</p><p>Renji and Yumichika are checkmated by the powered-up Szayel. He has created his voodoo dolls and is systematically crushing their organs, torturing them.</p><p>
  <strong>- Aaroniero’s Palace | Part I </strong>
</p><p>Aaroniero’s chamber is coated in cracked ice. The Séptima Espada, Zommari Leroux, stands over the fallen Gillian’s corpse. Noticing that Rukia Kuchiki still breathes, he readies to finish her off.</p><p>
  <strong>- The Hueco Mundo Dunes | Part I </strong>
</p><p>Nnoitra breaks Ichigo’s arm while Tesra restrains Orihime. A helpless Nel grows increasingly distraught until she erupts with Reiatsu and transforms back into her true self — Nelliel Tu Odelschwank, the former Tercera Espada. She begins battling Nnoitra, their fight proceeding as it did in Canon: she spits his Cero back at him and proceeds to give Ichigo an enthusiastic hug that nearly breaks his back. Nnoitra emerges from the explosion largely unscathed.</p><p>
  <strong>- Aaroniero’s Palace | Part II</strong>
</p><p>As Zommari unsheathes his blade to behead Rukia, he senses four Reiatsu signatures behind him. He turns to see four Shinigami staring him down, one of them with their Zanpakuto drawn. The Espada asks the intruders to identify themselves.</p><p>"Captain Suí-Fēng of the Second Division," the armed and lithe Shinigami replies. "Commander of the Onmitsukidō and your executioner if you do not stand down."</p><p>"A captain?" Zommari says, intrigued. "I am Zommari Leroux, the Séptima Espada. I do not take your threat lightly, but this woman slew a member of the Espada. I am honor-bound to finish her off."</p><p>Suí-Fēng flips her Zanpakuto dexterously in her grip, the blade spinning before she snatches it back by the hilt. "I cannot allow you to execute a member of the Gotei 13," she concludes. "Point your blade at her again, and you will feel mine between your ribs."</p><p>Kenpachi scratches his head, the bells affixed to his hair jostling. He lets out a contemptible sigh, realizing that Suí-Fēng has claimed this match for herself. Yachiru sits perched on his shoulder, enthralled while watching the 2nd Division captain talk smack. Ōmaeda is hiding several yards behind them, visibly nervous and hoping not to be noticed.</p><p>Zommari assumes a guard stance, beckoning Suí-Fēng to try and stop him. The two warriors stare levelly at each other for a long, agonizing beat... until they simultaneously dash at each other at whirring speed, rapidly parrying each other's strikes.</p><p>
  <strong>- The Hueco Mundo Dunes | Part II </strong>
</p><p>Nel lands a curving laceration along Nnoitra’s chest – breaking his Hierro for the first time. It's only a shallow cut, but it proves that his skin can be breached.</p><p>The two Arrancar continue to battle as we segue <em>into their flashback</em>. The main divergence in their backstory is that Nnoitra poisoned Nelliel with an experimental concoction given to him by Szayelaparro before ambushing her. Afterwards, when an unconscious Nel transformed into an infant in the desert dunes, Szayel explained to a confused Nnoitra that the poison’s effect was to reverse the victim’s age until they no longer “remembered themselves” -- history, personality, and especially their power.</p><p><em>We leave the flashback</em> as Nnoitra reflects on how his taunting seemed to rekindle Nelliel’s knowledge of herself, reversing the toxin’s effects. The Espada is pleased to know that the memory of him was key in helping her reconstitute her adult form. In Nnoitra’s mind, this means that her hatred of him is now a critical part of her identity – just as hating her had become integral to his long ago.</p><p>
  <strong>- Szayelapparo’s Laboratory | Part II </strong>
</p><p>With Renji and Yumichika on the ropes, Dondochokka and Pesche reveal their true identities and fire their combined Cero at Szayel.</p><p>
  <strong>- Aaroniero’s Palace | Part III</strong>
</p><p>An impatient Kenpachi watches as Suí-Fēng squares off against Zommari Leroux: a Shunpo master versus the fastest Sonído amongst the Espada. Ōmaeda struggles to perceive their speed as they try to outflank each other, both of them blurs that clash like lightning strikes.</p><p>Kenpachi looks to Yachiru. "Collect the lil' Kuchiki and get her out of here, will ya?" he orders. "Get her somewhere safe."</p><p>Yachiru enthusiastically hops off his shoulder and dashes towards Rukia’s body – only to be circumvented by Zommari. The Espada raises his sword, eliciting a bleat of panic from the lieutenant.</p><p>Suí-Fēng materializes between them, parrying Zommari’s slash and striking him in the chest with a punch powered by Shunkō. Zommari slides back several yards; Kenpachi lunges from behind him with a sword swing. The captain’s blade cleaves through Zommari and smashes into the tile, only for the Espada’s bifurcated visage to fade like mist.</p><p>A sword slash rips through Kenpachi’s shoulder as Zommari materializes behind him, revealing that his speed allows him to generate afterimages of himself – "<em>Gemelos Sonído</em>."</p><p>"Where is your etiquette, Kenpachi?" Suí-Fēng grits. "Interloping in another captain's battle... Interrupt my fight again, and I'll bury you in this desert myself."</p><p>Kenpachi, unfazed by his wounded shoulder, cocks his head and grumbles "It's fuckin' boring bein' a bystander. Besides, the Arrancar made it personal when he attacked Yachiru."</p><p>"You speak of etiquette," Zommari interrupts. "But all I see are two warriors – whom I have afforded the respect merited by their rank – dispensing with honor the moment it no longer suits them. This was to be expected, for you Shinigami are inherently underhanded creatures."</p><p>Zommari's visage multiplies into four copies using Gemelos Sonído, each of the clones flickering like an imperfect projection.</p><p>"Let us dispense with honor, then," Zommari concludes. "I will fight both of you simultaneously."</p><p>
  <strong>- Szayelapparo’s Laboratory | Part III</strong>
</p><p>Szayel cleaves through Dondochakka and Pesche’s combined Cero, revealing that he knew their identities from the get-go and how to counter their ability. The Octava Espada adds that he has grown bored of this battle and will now finish it by trying out his latest invention. A mechanical monstrosity arises from the rubble behind him, aiming an enormous cannon square at Renji and Yumichika. The two Shinigami brace themselves, Yumichika telling Renji that they had fought to their limit, and there was no shame in that. The mecha charges with a mysterious energy and readies to fire, Szayelaparro cackling maniacally — until the machine putters, creaks, and topples over. Szayel, confused, turns and irately exclaims that it should be fully operational.</p><p>“Oh, it was,” a voice calls out. “Until I made some alterations.”</p><p>Mayuri Kurotsuchi steps out from the scrap, bedecked in regal attire and wearing the smuggest of all shit-eating grins.</p><p>
  <strong>- The Hueco Mundo Dunes | Part III</strong>
</p><p>Nelliel is repeatedly outflanking Nnoitra but making very little progress in bringing him down, his Hierro proving more resilient than she remembered. The Quinta Espada mocks her as he swings Santa Teresa and forces her to dodge, asking if she regrets not finishing him off all those decades ago. Nelliel doesn’t answer, parrying his strike and carving a deep gash along his chest.</p><p>The Quinta Espada slides back, his breathing labored and eyes seething with hatred. Nelliel admits that she is still acclimating to her body. She swings her Zanpakuto, flicking Nnoitra’s blood onto the sand, and adds that she’s beginning to remember her full strength. Nnoitra, remembering the pang of humiliation she gave him decades before, whips himself into a fury as he releases <em>Santa Teresa</em>. He erupts with Reiatsu and transforms into a sleek powerhouse; his limbs lengthening into spindly claws and two enormous scythes extending from his forearms.</p><p>
  
</p><p>"Nel!" Ichigo cries out. "Watch out!"</p><p>Nnoitra dashes forward with alarming ferocity, swinging his scythes at Nelliel. She hops back, just barely evading the blades before flash-stepping behind Nnoitra. She slashes her blade down, only for the edge to slide ineffectually along Nnoitra's strengthened Hierro. He whips around and snatches at her sword, gripping it as his toothy smile widens.</p><p>Four pincers comprised of black Reiatsu sprout from Nnoitra's back, the upper pair curving down and hooking into Nel’s shoulders while the bottom pair swing around to puncture her sides. Ichigo and Orhime cry out as Nnoitra lifts Nelliel off the ground. She cries out in pain.</p><p>"What's that?" Nnoitra mockingly asks with sadistic pleasure, his scythe extending out to tickle Nelliel's chin. "I can't make out what you're crying about, woman!</p><p>"Perhaps," he grins, licking his lips. "You've come to realize how far I have exceeded you?"</p><p>
  <strong>- Aaroniero’s Palace | Part IV </strong>
</p><p>Kenpachi swings around haphazardly at Zommari’s blitzing clones, grumbling that the Arrancar ought to stay still for a moment. The Espada lands a slash across Kenpachi’s chest, the delighted captain responding by snatching his attacker’s arm. All of Zommari’s clones vanish as Kenpachi holds him firmly.</p><p>"Got you!" Kenpachi roars with excitement, thrusting his sword forward. Zommari backflips, willfully twisting his arm out of its socket as he kicks Kenpachi across the face and breaks free from his grip. The Espada lands a safe distance away.</p><p>"I commend you for your guile, Captain Zaraki," Zommari states while his limp arm grotesquely fastens itself back into joint. "But you are wholly lacking in elegance or strategy."</p><p>Suí-Fēng leaps over Kenpachi, her <em>Suzumebachi </em>released and poised to strike. "I wholeheartedly agree, Arrancar!" she declares with a grin.</p><p>The Espada doesn't assume a guard stance; he instead cockily splits into four afterimages as Suí-Fēng lunges down. Pivoting, she strikes the true Zommari square in the chest. He stumbles back, confused as to how she identified him. Suí-Fēng points Suzumebachi’s stinger to the icy ground, observing that Zommari’s steps left scratches on the frost and tipped her off to his exact location. She then points her gauntlet at Zommari, stating that his overconfidence had already cost him dearly.</p><p>Zommari looks down at his wound and sees a butterfly stamp etched across his chest. Suí-Fēng explains that she has marked him with Nigeki Kessatsu, concluding that "The next strike will seal your fate."</p><p>"You truly are a cunning creature," Zommari retorts. "I will enjoy 'governing' you, Captain Suí-Fēng." The Espada holds his sword aloft, each finger releasing the hilt until it is left suspended in the air, and he cranes his neck until it contorts into an impossible angle, his eyes dilating. Releasing <em>Afrodita</em>, he is enveloped in a pink mist and reemerges with four arms, his entire torso pocked with bulbous eyes. He is sitting in a meditation posture and hovering off the ground. Nigeki Kessatsu's butterfly stamp remains emblazoned on his chest.</p><p>
  
</p><p>"I can't tell if Bone-Head has gotten any stronger," Yachiru remarks as she hops back onto Kenny’s unwounded shoulder. "But he sure looks uglier, now."</p><p>Zommari merely grins, two of his many eyes dilating. <em>Amor</em> charms imprint on Yachiru’s chest and Suí-Fēng’s right arm — the limb wielding Suzumebachi.</p><p>"Both of you belong to me, now," Zommari grins, roving his fingers.</p><p>Yachiru, as if being puppeteered by unseen strings, unsheathes her blade and plunges it into Kenpachi’s shoulder. "Ken-chan!" she cries out before he instinctively grabs and tosses her away, her sword still lodged in him.</p><p>Suí-Fēng’s eyes widen as she intuits what this means. Before she can react, her arm involuntarily rears up and stabs Suzumebachi into herself, the butterfly blooming across her chest. She believes she is done for as the arm draws back to strike again, but Kenpachi lunges forward and slashes. Suí-Fēng’s arm falls limp, the tendons severed.</p><p>"... Thank you, Kenpachi," Suí-Fēng grimaces, her face coated in panicked sweat. "I guess your brute instinct is useful for something after all."</p><p>Kenpachi turns to Zommari and bluntly asks "What the fuck did you do?"</p><p>"I exerted my governance over them," Zommari replies. "Everything is 'governed' by its rightful master. Subordinates act under the orders of their superiors. The masses live under the rule of their king. The clouds move according to the will of the wind. The moonlight is ruled by the light of the sun. Even you –"</p><p>An optical orb on Zommari's shoulder dilates and fires an Amor. The charm imprints onto Kenpachi's right leg.</p><p>"– Will heed the command of your master, Captain Zaraki," Zommari finishes, his lower-left hand roving as if conducting an orchestra.</p><p>Kenpachi is alarmed as his foot involuntarily stomps forward, inching him closer to Zommari. The captain flexes, his Reiatsu rising from him like heat and his foot quivering. Zommari cocks his brow in admiration when the Shinigami is nearly able to wrest his leg a step back.</p><p>"You are a monstrous opponent, but there is no disobeying my command," Zommari says. He curls his finger back while Kenpachi's foot wrenches forward on cue.</p><p>Kenpachi reaches up to peel his eyepatch off, only to realize that it is suctioned taut. Zommari has tagged the patch with Amor.</p><p>"You may feel your strength ebbing away, Captain Zaraki," the Séptima Espada grins. "Do not panic; I have merely commanded the many mouths feeding off your Reiatsu to suckle with renewed vigor."</p><p>Kenpachi realizes that his Reiatsu won't be able to rise anytime soon. He instinctively slashes at his own leg, severing his tendon to free himself from Zommari's governance.</p><p>Suí-Fēng is horrified as the precariousness of their situation dawns on her. <em>He has us completely at his mercy</em>, she thinks to herself.</p><p>
  <strong>- Szayelapparo’s Laboratory | Part IV</strong>
</p><p>Szayelaparro demands that the interloper identify himself. Mayuri Kurotsuchi introduces himself while Nemu, who has been physically scarred since we last saw her, passively stands by his side. He reveals that they had reached Las Noches days ago after his Garganta deposited them onto a small island encircled by a lake of acid.</p><p>Yumichika wonders aloud how they escaped from such a tight spot, to which an incredulous Mayuri reveals that Nemu had used her own body as a raft for him to stand upon and wade to land, of course. With great pride, the captain explains how he used his <em>Nisehada</em> — a cloaking camouflage — to infiltrate Szayel’s lab and observe his experiments over the last several days; even helping himself to some of the Espada’s tech for some new body modifications.</p><p>Renji, spitting out blood, asks Mayuri why he didn’t interject in the fight sooner.</p><p>"Because I knew that the Espada planned on using his new monstrosity for the coup de grâce," Mayuri replies, his enormous mouth widening into a maniacal grin. "He worked so very hard on it. I just couldn't resist – I needed to see the look on his face when he realized that his new toy was broken."</p><p>Szayel, having had enough of this shit, engages Mayuri in a battle of mad science. It plays out as it did in the Canon: Kurotsuchi repeatedly counters Szayelaparro’s maneuvers until the Espada respawns himself from Nemu’s body. The time-dilation toxin kicks in and Mayuri digs his sword into Szayel’s heart; capping off the battle with that badass speech about the futility of “perfection.” He cracks open Szayel’s laboratory, stepping over the charred remains of the Privaron Espada and chiding Renji for not leaving the cadavers intact for him to experiment on. The captain tells Renji and Yumichika that they may go; he and Nemu will stay and rummage through the slain Espada’s goodies.</p><p>
  <strong>- The Hueco Mundo Dunes | Part IV</strong>
</p><p>Nnoitra cackles to himself while he toys with Nelliel, pressing his scythe to her forehead while wriggling his pincers deeper into her shoulders. Nelliel screams, blood spurting from her shoulders. Orihime and Ichigo watch in horror, Tesra restraining both of them. The dutiful Fracción member notices too late that Grimmjow has risen up behind him.</p><p>Before Tesra can even react, Grimmjow grabs him by his upper jaw. With a roar, the Pantera rips off the top half of the Arrancar’s head.</p><p>Grimmjow collapses back down to the ground with a wheeze, his strength now totally spent. Ichigo, who can barely stand with his broken limbs, asks Inoue how fast it would take for her to heal him. She doesn't answer.</p><p>"Inoue?" Ichigo asks again, looking up to see Orihime stepping towards Nnoitra and Nel with her arm outstretched. It's as if she were in a trance.</p><p>Nnoitra, having satisfied his desire to torture Nelliel, draws his scythes back, readying for a beheading swipe.</p><p>"Sayonara, Nelliel!" the Quinta hisses as he lunges his blades forward. They bounce off from Nel’s head, as if deflected by air. Nnoitra is confused, and then he sees it – a wall comprised of light has materialized between him and his prey, the unfurling shield severing his Reiatsu pincers.</p><p>Nel falls onto the sand, blood spurting from her puncture wounds. Nnoitra roars obscenities and blitzes the obstruction with his scythes – growing increasingly agitated as his every slash is repelled. He turns his gaze and spots Orihime 20 yards away from them, arms outstretched. She has conjured a strengthened <em>Santen Kesshun</em>, wielding it with more dexterity than we’ve seen before.</p><p>Nnoitra curses Orihime out as a “witch" and turns to strike at the shield once more. Tsubaki glows at the center of the triangle as Nnoitra’s blade connects, absorbing the force of his blow and redirecting the energy back at him – a new technique called Shiten Koshen. The Espada is thrown back as the shield shines with golden light and then dissipates.</p><p>Nnoitra bristles with rage as he rises back to his spindly feet. He is insulted by the mere notion that this woman has gotten the better of him. He re-sprouts his Reiatsu pincers and dashes towards Orihime. Ichigo cries out for her – "Inoue! Run!"</p><p>“Stop!” an authoritative voice cries out behind Nnoitra. He halts his charge, as if obeying orders as a reflex, and turns to see Nelliel back on her feet.</p><p>She holds her blade aloft, head bowed. "Praise, Gamuza," she intones before erupting into a gust of thick Reiatsu.</p><p>Nnoitra’s brow twitches as the smoke clears: Nel’s wounds have been patched by her Resurrección’s armor. She now has the build of a Satyr, her legs elongated and fur-clad. She extends her lance towards Nnoitra.</p><p>
  
</p><p>"Let's finish this, Nnoitra," she says before dashing forward at awesome speed. The two Espadas charge at each other, their clash sending a volcanic plume of sand up towards the sky.</p><p>
  <strong>- Aaroniero’s Palace | Part V</strong>
</p><p>Kenpachi slashes at his own left leg and falls forward, planting his Zanpakuto into the ground to steady himself. He's panting, his body stamped with Amor and largely immobile. He's severed several of his tendons to escape the effects of the charm.</p><p>"You have a knack for masochism, captain," Zommari wryly observes.</p><p>Suí-Fēng stands in a defensive posture behind Zommari, bracing herself to dodge with Shunpo at any moment. Ōmaeda is forcibly contorted in a ridiculous posture, panicking as his Amor-tagged arms and legs bend unnaturally, threatening to snap. Zommari idly twirls his fingers, taking great pleasure in watching Ōmaeda writhe around in terror.</p><p>Yachiru lies on the floor, tears in her eyes as she sees her sword still lodged in her captain's shoulder. She apologizes to Kenny for stabbing him.</p><p>"Don't worry about it, Yachiru," Kenpachi fires back, summoning the wherewithal to give his lieutenant a reassuring smile. "I know you'd never intentionally hurt me. I'll turn this bastard into a stain for forcing you."</p><p>"How will you go about your vengeance, Captain Zaraki, if you can no longer move?" Zommari interjects. "You're in such a state that even a weakling can dispatch you."</p><p>With a curl of his fingers, Zommari returns Ōmaeda back to a normal posture and beckons the lieutenant to draw his sword: "Thrust it into Captain Zaraki's back."</p><p>Suí-Fēng roars in protest and sprints in a serpentine dash of Shunpo. She is within a yard of Zommari when an Amor charm imprints on her chest, freezing her on the spot.</p><p>Pleased, Zommari turns his head until it twists by an impossible 180 degrees, his face grinning at a horrified Suí-Fēng.</p><p>"It is pointless to attack me from any direction, Shinigami," The Espada boasts. "My eyes see all."</p><p>Suí-Fēng is startled as a Heilig Pfeil whizzes past her head, missing by an inch, and lands square into one of Zommari’s dilated eyes. The Espada grimaces as the arrow punctures and bursts his optical orb. The Amor charm on Suí-Fēng’s chest fades; she nearly topples over from the discombobulation of regaining control over her body.</p><p>Zommari trains his eyes on the shadows. "Show yourself, archer!" he bellows.</p><p>Uryū Ishida emerges from the darkness, bow in hand. He lets the Reishi weapon dissipate as he looks over to Suí-Fēng.</p><p>"My hypothesis was correct" he notes with a sly smile, sizing up Suí-Fēng's regained autonomy. "I had a hunch that when one of your eyes landed an Amor charm, they had to maintain their glare on the target for you to maintain control."</p><p>Uryū looks at the oozing crevice where one of Zommari's optical orbs had been, concluding "It seems that I shot the right eye. Destroy the eye and your spell will sever."</p><p>The Séptima Espada congratulates Uryu on his perceptiveness and asks who he is.</p><p>"Ishida Uryū," he answers. "The Last Quincy, and an ally of Inoue Orihime."</p><p>"A Quincy?" Zommari repeats back, his eyes narrowing with disgust. The Espada's levitating body twists around to rejoin his head in facing Uryū. "Quincy are even more loathsome than Shinigami."</p><p>Zommari's eyes dilate and fire a blitz of Amor. Suí-Fēng attempts to dodge with Shunpo, but she is struck by the flurry of charms. Uryū stands still, making no move to evade the incoming stamps. He passively receives Amor stamps on each of his limbs. Zommari cackles, concluding that Uryū was doomed the moment he presented himself.</p><p>"I promise to give you a most exquisite death, archer," Zommari coos with malice as he curls his fingers, ordering Uryū's body to contort until he snaps apart.</p><p>Uryū does not budge. Flabbergasted, Zommari focuses all of his control to get the Quincy’s limbs to move.</p><p>"Don't bother," Uryū says. He reaches back to touch the nape of his neck and juts his hand forward. His fingers are stained with fresh blood. The Espada's eyes widen as Uryū explains how he had severed his own spinal column with surgical precision.</p><p>"At this moment, I am paralyzed from the neck down," Uryū concludes. "Your charm cannot compel my limbs."</p><p>Zommari is incredulous. "You shouldn't be standing, Quincy!" the Espada jeers.</p><p>Uryū answers by emitting a blue glow, strings of Reishi materializing around him. He is utilizing <em>Ransōtengai</em> -- piloting his body through his own Reiryoku.</p><p>"Very well," Zommari says. "You are still leagues beneath my abilities." The Arrancar twirls his upper hands, directing Suí-Fēng to leap up. The captain contorts into a pouncing stance against her will. "Kill the Quincy," Zommari hisses.</p><p>Suí-Fēng leaps forward, involuntarily swinging a kick with the power of Hakuda. Uryu responds by tossing a <em>Gintō </em>before the captain can reach him. The capsule unfurls into a <em>Gritz  </em>and ensnares Suí-Fēng, constricting her into a cocoon.</p><p>Zommari's lower arms whirl, summoning Yachiru and Ōmaeda to their feet. "Dispose of this nuisance!" the Séptima cries out.</p><p>Uryū is unimpressed as the two lieutenants approach him. He raises his fist, revealing a trigger between his fingers.</p><p>"I watched your fight with the Shinigami," Uryū recalls. "While you wasted your advantage by toying with them, I had ample time to devise a way to kill you."</p><p>He flicks the trigger, prompting Reishi flares lining around the entire chamber to erupt all at once. Zommari winces as all of his eyes are blinded by the brilliant illumination flashing from all directions.</p><p>Uryū dashes around Zommari with his <em>Hirenkyaku</em>, firing Heilig Pfeil with pinpoint accuracy at each of the Espada's globular eyes, bursting them. When the flares subside, Zommari struggles to see with his two primary peepers -- all he can make out is the light emitting from Uryu’s drawn <em>Seele Schneider</em>. Most impressively, the Quincy managed to encase all the remaining Shinigami in their own protective Gritz.</p><p>"In addition to the flares, I planted five of these around the chamber," Uryū coolly explains as he brandishes his glowing blade. "Together they form a <em>Sprenger</em>. Now pay close attention as you are undone by a Quincy."</p><p>Uryū lunges down and thrusts his sword into the ground, activating his trap. A pentagon of Reishi spreads across the chamber and converges on Zommari, erupting into a blast that blows the roof off of Aaroniero's palace.</p><p>As the dust settles, Zommari stumbles out from a smoldering crater, his body bloodied and charred. He has sustained too much damage to readily sprout new eyes. Lids form around his body, struggling to pry open – it will take time for new eyes to ripen. The Espada gazes across the rubble and sees Suí-Fēng climb out of her protective Gritz, largely unscathed.</p><p>Suddenly, the Arrancar feels a heat against his neck. He turns his gaze to see Uryū holding the Seele Schneider to his throat. Zommari, knowing he is beaten, looks upon the Quincy with contempt.</p><p>"You have no right," Zommari grits. "Tell me: who charged the Quincy with the prerogative to purge Hollows from existence? To remove us from the cycle of reincarnation as if we were vermin? Are you so blinded by your self-righteousness that you've never considered that you are the butcher?"</p><p>Zommari studies Uryū's cryptic expression and concludes "No, I think not. Go ahead and finish it."</p><p>Uryū looks to Suí-Fēng for a beat. He lowers his Seele Schneider.</p><p>"You carry countless souls within you, Zommari Leroux," Uryū replies with a tone of respect. "I will not kill you..."</p><p>Zommari looks at Uryū with confusion. His gaze is interrupted when Suí-Fēng flash-steps before him.</p><p>"... But she will," Uryū finishes.</p><p>Suí-Fēng, her left arm cradling Suzumebachi, stabs her stinger into the butterfly stamp emblazoned on Zommari's chest, fulfilling <em>Nigeki Kessatsu</em>. Leroux looks down in shock as his wound bursts into a black flame. Understanding that he has been spared non-existence and will instead be purified, his eyes soften into weary resignation. He cranes his head back to gaze up at the Hueco Mundo sky one last time as the flames swiftly engulf him. The Séptima Espada crumbles into ash, his remains scattering into the wind.</p><p>
  <strong>- The Hueco Mundo Dunes | Part V</strong>
</p><p>Nelliel and Nnoitra are locked in a vicious battle, both landing lacerating strikes on each other. Nel blitzes around him with amazing speed, all while matching his physical might as she wields her lance. The Quinta Espada’s frustration mounts as it becomes clear that he has not bridged the gap between him and Nel after all these years. His pincers and scythes flash in a coordinated strike. To his shock, Nelliel deflects all of the blades, shattering them, and plunges her lance deep into his gut. Nnoitra falls to his knees, defeated. Nel retracts her weapon and stands imperiously over the bloodied Espada, her face mournful. Nnoitra, hatred in his eyes, tells her to finish it. A long beat follows, a gust of wind sweeping between the both of them.</p><p>"I did regret it, Nnoitra," Nelliel says. She bows her head, averting Nnoitra's confused glare. "I regretted not killing you all those years ago. But it wasn't because I feared your retaliation. It was because I knew you desperately wanted to die."</p><p>Nnoitra tenses, his eyes wide with shock.</p><p>"I always knew," Nel continues, grip tightening around her lance. "You were desperate to escape your Despair -- to escape Hueco Mundo. I need you to understand that it wasn't camaraderie, honor, or even mercy that stayed my hand, Nnoitra. It was because I found you unbearably pitiful. You provoked the deepest sadness in me, and I... I savored it.</p><p>"My aspect of death is Lamentation. You fed it endlessly. I insisted that I wouldn't kill you because doing so would be giving into the basest instincts of a Hollow, but I was already giving in. I reveled in your sorrow because I am beholden to my own. I am no different from you, Nnoitra. We will always be in the thrall of our sins. That is my regret."</p><p>Nelliel turns her back on her nemesis. "You can either die here today or try to find peace with yourself," she says. "The choice is yours."</p><p>Nnoitra watches with overwhelmed emotion as Nelliel strides away from him, heading to rejoin Orihime. The Quinta Espada's eyes radiate the most desperate despair before curdling into violent resentment. Nnoitra rises back to his feet, extending his cracked scythe at Nelliel as he calls out to her.</p><p>"This battle isn't over, you accursed bitch!" Nnoitra roars, his spindly legs dashing after her.</p><p>Nelliel needs no further prompting. She whirls back around and launches her <em>Lanzador Verde</em> in one fluid motion. The lance spins through the air like a missile until it spears right through Nnoitra's chest, breaching his Hierro and drilling until it explodes out from his back.</p><p>Nnoitra stands in shock with a gaping hole punched through his torso, the lance buried in the smoldering sand behind him. The Quinta Espada falls to his knees, gazing into Nelliel's eyes as he topples over dead.</p><p>Orihime breathes a sigh of relief.</p><p>"Inoue!" Ichigo cries out to her. "Come back here! Please, hurry."</p><p>Grimmjow is dying. The Sexta Espada is rasping, blood from the wound Nnoitra inflicted on him turning the sand surrounding him red. The Espada casts a suspicious eye up at Ichigo, incredulous that he would want to heal him — insisting that he will attack again once he is healed.</p><p>Ichigo, with a smile, points out that Nnoitra would have killed them all if Grimmjow had not intervened. The least they can do is save his life in return.</p><p>Orihime runs towards them — only for Coyote Starrk to materialize before her. He apologizes for the interruption, placing his hand on Orihime’s shoulder, adding that he needs to “borrow her for a while.” He whisks her away with Sonído before Nelliel can reach them.</p><p>Ichigo is dumbstruck, unable to process how Orihime could be taken away so easily after all he had gone through to rescue her. He cries out for her, then looks down to Grimmjow. Ichigo goes pale when he sees the blood oozing out from the Arrancar's ribcage.</p><p>"It must be time..." Grimmjow cryptically sighs.</p><p>Nelliel unhurriedly strides over to Ichigo and Grimmjow, her head bowed in resignation. Ichigo looks up at her, crying out that they must get Grimmjow to a healer. He promised the Arrancar his life. He <em>owes</em> him his life.</p><p>Ichigo's rambling is interrupted when the Sexta Espada grips him firmly by the arm and yanks him close.</p><p>"Do... d-do me a favor, Kurosaki," Grimmjow pants, his breathing hoarse and shallow. "Promise me... promise me that you will become stronger."</p><p>Ichigo's eyes widen at the request. He listens with rapt attention.</p><p>"Get stronger, Kurosaki... or you won't stand a chance," Grimmjow continues, his fangs curling into a defiant smile. "I will return... I will return as a mighty Vasto Lorde and rule over Hueco Mundo as King, eating the unworthy until I have had my full. And then, Kurosaki... when all other Arrancar are beneath me, I will come and find you. I will find you."</p><p>Grimmjow falls back, his strength entirely spent. The Espada's grip weakens around Ichigo's shoulder and slides away.</p><p>"Get stronger, Kurosaki Ichigo," Grimmjow rasps, eyes weary but his grin remaining. "Get stronger... or you will be crushed without mercy."</p><p>Ichigo manages a weak smile and clasps his hand over Grimmjow's.</p><p>"I promise, Grimmjow," Ichigo swears. "When we meet again, I'l be ready."</p><p>Grimmjow's smile broadens. He gives the weakest of nods before his eyes dim and trail off.</p><p>Nelliel stands solemnly before Ichigo as he cradles Grimmjow's limp claw. The Sexta Espada lies on the ground, his rasping breath dwindling until it ceases entirely.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. THE WHITE INVASION: Tenkai Ketchu</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Arrancar invade the World of the Living, Ichigo falls into a trap, and we learn the origin of Aizen.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <strong>LAS NOCHES - THE FIFTH TOWER</strong>
</p><p>Orihime Inoue blinks in a daze as Coyote Starrk carries her into Sōsuke Aizen's throne room, setting her down before a towering staircase comprised of Reishi. Her stomach is churning from the sheer velocity of the express ride the Arrancar just gave her. Before she can dwell on her nausea, she gasps at the sight of Aizen awaiting several steps above, beckoning her to join him.</p><p><em>I thought... I was free</em>, Orihime thinks, her body frozen in fear. <em>I allowed myself to hope that I would go home with Kurosaki-kun...</em></p><p>Aizen is amused by the girl's distraught expression. He strides down to meet her, his footsteps echoing throughout the throne room. </p><p>"This is no time for heartbreak," Aizen coos. He leans down, sliding a hand along her face, and cranes his lips to her ear. "<em>Smile</em>. Everyone is saddened when the sky darkens, so why not let the sun shine? Come. You're going home, now."</p><p>Orihime flinches when Aizen grasps her by the hand and leads her up the staircase. He brings her before a yawning Garganta. Orihime gasps when she sees Karakura Town peering back at her from the other end of the portal.</p><p>"See?" Aizen continues, caressing Orihime's shoulder. "We will step forward together and return to Karakura Town. <em>All of us</em>."</p><p>Orihime's heart seizes. She looks up in horror at Aizen's smiling face. Her mind goes in endless directions, all of them arriving at the same instinct: she has to warn somebody. She wrenches her hand from Aizen, charges into the Garganta, and leaps across the nether-space of the Dangai between the two portals – the sensation is akin to diving through water – only for her to pass through the other end and plunge down from the sky, somersaulting towards the town below. <em>Did I just get myself killed</em>? she thinks in a panic, feeling the wind whip through her hair and garb.</p><p>Suddenly, she is stabilized in the sky, gasping in shock as she gazes down at Karakura Town below her. <em>Am I flying</em>? she wonders. Her eyebrows raise in surprise when she observes the platforms of golden light she's standing on – footholds created by her fairies. </p><p>"We've got you, Orihime," the sprite named Lily whispers into her ear.</p><p>"Hachigen's training did more than just strengthen our techniques – we've learned to improvise, Miss Orihime!" Shun'ō chimes in.</p><p>"You're not falling today," Tsubaki concludes.</p><p>"... Thank you, everyone," Orihime says softly, her eyes welling with emotion. It's like having guardian angels with her. </p><hr/><p>Gin joins Aizen atop the staircase, peering into the Garganta.</p><p>"Did the girl just die?" the snake asks indifferently.</p><p>"No," Aizen says with a smile. "The little songbird has learned to fly from her nest. We shall be joining momentarily." </p><p>Kaname Tōsen follows up the steps, hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutō as he gravely addresses Aizen.</p><p>"Nnoitra and Grimmjow are dead," Tōsen reports. "That makes five Espada slain by the intruders."</p><p>"Gotta say, Cap'n Aizen – losin' half the Espada ain't good," Gin remarks cheekily. "Actually, I reckon that's bad."</p><p>"There is no cause for worry," Aizen replies serenely. "We have the Vasto Lorde: just one of them is worth more than all of the fallen Espada put together. Now, there is but one more matter to attend to. Kaname – cast <em>Tentei Kura</em>."</p><p>Tōsen tosses a talisman aside, the energy of Bakudo #77 coursing through his arm. The talisman unfurls into a radiating aural enchantment. Aizen's words will now be heard all throughout Las Noches.</p><p>"Can you hear me, intruders?," Aizen drawls. </p><p>
  <em>We see Uryū Ishida, Kenpachi Zaraki, Suí-Fēng, Yachiru, Ōmaeda, and the unconscious Rukia recuperating inside Aaroniero's ruined palace. They all perk up at the sound of Aizen's call.</em>
</p><p>"First, allow me to compliment you for defeating so many members of the Espada," Aizen continues. "It would be interesting to see how you'd fare against the higher-ranks, but alas we must be on our way..."</p><p>
  <em>We see Yasutora Sado and Isane Kotetsu standing atop a dune and craning their heads up at the sky, nervously hanging on Aizen's every word. Meanwhile, Renji Abarai and Yumichika Ayasegawa are trudging along in a different sector of Las Noches' fringes. </em>
</p><p>"...We are beginning our invasion of the World of the Living," Aizen announces. </p><p>
  <em>"What?!" Ichigo Kurosaki cries, glaring up at the sky. The Substitute Shinigami feels his heart sink in panic. Nelliel Tu Odelschwank tenses while listening to Aizen's voice, his cadence unnerving her like a haunting memory.</em>
</p><p>"I regret to inform you humans that Karakura Town will soon cease to exist," Aizen continues. "You see, I need to harvest it and the 100,000 souls within if I am to reach the Royal Realm and claim my rightful seat in the heavens. However, take solace in knowing that your friends and family will help pave the path towards a new era."</p><p>
  <em>Mayuri Kurotsuchi rifles through Szayelaporro's laboratory, not particularly giving a shit about Aizen's new revelations. "Ah, so this has all been about creating an Ōken?" the captain remarks to himself as he parses through reams of blueprints. "How conceited of you, Aizen."</em>
</p><p>"It bears mentioning that Soul Society's arrogance could not have worked more in my favor," Aizen muses. "Following Inoue Orihime's abduction, they predictably followed their instinct of self-preservation and retreated back to protect the Seiretei, leaving Karakura Town completely undefended. What's more, they sent three captains after me – only to ensure their capture. Counting our defection, I think it's fair to say that the Gotei 13's strength has been halved."</p><p>
  <em>Kenpachi frowns while Suí-Fēng bristles at the taunt. Ishida has broken into a cold sweat as he contemplates the annihilation of 100,000 people.</em>
</p><p>"Every Garganta will be deactivated upon our departure – leaving you with no recourse but to sit and wait patiently for our return," Aizen gloats. "But do not feel excluded: I am leaving some forces to keep you company."</p><p>
  <em>The ground at the base of the Fifth Tower's entrance begins to stir. An Arrancar masked with a bull-shaped skull seeps up from the sand. It is the Commander of the Exequias: Rudbornn Chelute. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yammy Riyalgo stirs awake within the cracked hallways of Las Noches. Clutching at his abdomen, he heaves in fury, nostrils flaring with indignation as he recalls being defeated by a mere human.</em>
</p><p>"Before we part, I have one final message for the so-called Substitute Shinigami," Aizen adds. "I am leaving Inoue Orihime here in the Fifth Tower. She is of no further use to me. If you still wish to rescue the maiden, then come and get her."</p><p>
  <em>Ichigo's eyes widen at the challenge. Surging with adrenaline, confusion, and fear, he digs the point of Tensa Zangetsu into the sand.  </em>
</p><p>"Farewell, intruders," Aizen concludes. With that, the transmission ends.</p><hr/><p>Orihime gingerly descends down from the sky, stepping from one illuminated foothold onto the next. The closer she gets to Karakura Town, the more uneasy she becomes. Everything is quiet, with nary a sound. No chattering of townsfolk, hum of traffic, or even the clang of construction. Everything is eerily silent. </p><p><em>Where is everybody</em>? Orihime wonders. </p><p>Suddenly, a shadow whisks past Orihime, snatching her away with a yelp. Now Karakura Town is truly silent for a long beat... until Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen emerge from the Garganta in the sky. The Arrancar Lord gazes down at his prize with a thin smile.</p><p>"Starrk... Barragan... Harribel... <em>Come</em>," Aizen commands.</p><p>Four additional Gargantas tear open like the maws of a beast, Aizen's forces pouring out from Hueco Mundo.</p><p>Coyote Starrk steps squinting into the sunlight. Lilynette Gingerbuck is beside him, picking at her nose indifferently.</p><p>King Barragan Louisenbairn glowers from his portal, flanked by five Fracción: Shawlong Koufe, Choe Neng Poww, Findorr Calius, Ggio Vega, and Luders Friegen. </p><p>Tier Harribel emerges with her arms crossed, shadowed by her Tres Bestias: Emilou Apacci, Franceska Mila Rose, and Cyan Sung-Sun.</p><p>The final portal produces Wonderweiss Margela, slack-jawed and happy to be here. A hulking behemoth follows him – the Hooleer. Bulbous and pulsating, the cyclops stomps out onto the sky.</p><p>The Arrancar Army assembles, the Gargantas snapping shut behind them. They loom over Karakura Town, casting a shadow over the skyline.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>HUECO MUNDO DUNES – OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong>
</p><p>Ichigo struggles to his feet, his broken bones creaking. Grimacing through the pain, he grits his teeth while struggling to decide on a course of action.</p><p>"There has to be a way back to Karakura Town," he pants. "Nel – we need to find Inoue and get out of here!"</p><p>Ichigo looks back and sees the Arrancar kneeling on the sand, head bowed. She is completely unresponsive.</p><p>"Nel, what's wrong?"</p><p>Nelliel raises her eyes to meet Ichigo’s — her expression is softened by profound sadness.</p><p>"Ichigo, I have a selfish request to make of you." Nelliel whispers. "Will you strike me down?"</p><p>"Nel, what the hell!" Ichigo gasps, horrified by the question. "Why would you ask that? We need to get mov–"</p><p>His words trail off as he worriedly watches Nelliel's Resurrección dissipate, her armor flaking away and antelope limbs receding back into humanoid legs. She bows her head again, eyes forlornly cast down at her own shadow.</p><p>"I can't go on," Nelliel confesses, her words weighted with defeat. "I realized when I heard Aizen-sama's voice. He gave me my sense of reason, everything I have. Hearing him again after all this time made me realize that I cannot fight for him any longer. But if I don't have Aizen-sama to serve, then... all I have left is my existence as a Hollow."</p><p>Nelliel's right hand reaches up to her chest – caressing the spot where a heart ought to physically reside.</p><p>"I can't remember having a heart, but I feel it's absence," Nelliel continues. "Maybe I can find it again in another lifetime, after being purified by a Shinigami's sword..."</p><p>Nelliel looks up to meet Ichigo's stunned gaze, her face wet with tears.</p><p>"Please, Ichigo," she pleads with a glum smile. "It would be mercy."</p><p>There is an agonizing silence shared between the Arrancar and Substitute Shinigami for what feels like an eternity. Ichigo stares at Nel with a heartbroken expression, his grip tightening around Tensa Zangetsu's hilt. Nel braces herself, watching him trudge over to her. He comes within a yard and kneels down until his eyes are level with hers.</p><p>"You're wrong," Ichigo flatly declares.</p><p>Nelliel's eyes widen with confusion. She doesn't understand.</p><p>"You're wrong, Nel!" Ichigo repeats with greater intensity. "You <em>do </em>have a heart. You have more heart than someone like Aizen – more than most people I know! You think you're the only one who carries around sorrow all the time? Your friends share your burden with you, Nel! What matters is the joy that you give them in return! That's worth living for, isn't it?!"</p><p>"Ichigo..." Nel whispers, at a complete loss. Her eyes blink in a daze while she digests his argument. </p><p>"Nelliel!!!!!" two booming voices cry out from the peak of a nearby dune. Ichigo and Nel look to see Dondochakka and Pesche sprinting towards them. The two Arrancar are hysterical, crying with relief as they charge towards their little sister. </p><p>"Wait, guys – don't!" Ichigo protests right as the eager duo crash into him and Nel for a tight embrace. The Substitute Shinigami wheezes as his broken bones crunch inside the group hug. </p><p>"Nelliel – we were soooo worried!" Dondochakka sobs. </p><p>"We fought an Espada to get back to you!" Pesche adds, fudging the truth a bit. "We would never forgive ourselves if harm befell you!'</p><p>Nelliel's eyes widen like saucers, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. She suddenly remembers what Rukia told her.</p><p>
  <em>"Our hearts exist here," the Shinigami said, holding up a fist between herself and the pint-sized Nel. </em>
</p><p>Nelliel now realizes what Rukia meant. Her face scrunches with emotion and she bawls, doubling up on the group hug with her super strength.</p><p>"My brothers!" she cries out, lovingly embracing Dondochakka and Pesche.</p><p>The three Arrancar revel in their reunion for a beat, then realize that Ichigo is nearly unconscious from pain. The poor Substitute Shinigami is sandwiched between their bodies, his shattered skeleton getting squeezed from all sides.</p><p>"<em>Oh</em>!" Nelliel cries out bashfully, releasing Ichigo from her vice-like grip and gingerly setting his battered body onto the ground. "Sorry, Ichigo."</p><p>"Be a man and suck it up, would ya?" a familiar voice scolds from above.</p><p>Ichigo cranes his head and sees Renji and Yumichika standing over him. The two Shinigami look completely refreshed from their battle against Szayelaporro Granz.</p><p>"Renji!" Ichigo cries out, relieved. "You guys look unscratched –  have you just been wondering around this whole time?"</p><p>"Not exactly," Renji answers.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Ichigo, propped up against the base of one of the red towers, listens as Renji and Yumichika finish recounting their ordeal since the group was separated.</p><p>"Huh, so you ran into one of the Gotei captains?" Ichigo remarks. "I wonder if the others found Kenpachi."</p><p>"Either way, it's time we head out and look for them," Yumichika replies. The Shinigami turns to Dondochakka and Pesche, jutting a thumb to Ichigo. "You two – heal him."</p><p>Ichigo recoils as Dondochakka and Pesche kneel before him, rubbing their hands together dramatically. "No more hugs!" he pleads. He is pleasantly surprised when the two Arrancar press their palms to his body, emitting a healing energy.</p><p>"Turns out these two knuckleheads are healers," Renji grins. "They patched us up after Szayelaporro had his sick fun."</p><p>"Of course they are healers," Nelliel interjects. "When we were still a part of Aizen's army, their job was to accompany me and mend my wounds after battle. It suits their disposition."</p><p>Ichigo whistles with a sigh of relief as he feels his bones repair. He leaps up, plucking Tensa Zangetsu from the ground. </p><p>"Let's go find Orihime and the others!" he declares.</p><p>"Ichigo, wait –" Nelliel interrupts, drawing everyone's attention. "Before we leave, will you help me bury Grimmjow and Nnoitra? They were once my comrades; it wouldn't be right to leave them as they are."</p><p>"You must be joking," Yumichika protests with an eye-roll. "You think we're gonna lift a finger to clean up Arrancar carcasses?"</p><p>"I'll help," Ichigo replies, giving Nelliel a warm smile. She smiles back.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>KARAKURA TOWN - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY </strong>
</p><p>The Arrancar hover in the sky, confounded. Barragan casts a withering eye down at Karakura Town, observing the complete lack of noise or people.</p><p>"I thought there were supposed to be humans?" the King remarks to Shawlong Koufe, his closest subordinate. "This hovel looks abandoned."</p><p>"Indeed it does, King Barragan," Shawlong concurs.</p><p>"Maybe they're all out vacationin'?" Gin suggests with a thin sneer to Lord Aizen. </p><p>The Arrancar Lord doesn't acknowledge the jest, calmly assessing the town. He surveys the surrounding perimeter, noting the four pillars jutting out at the square points of Karakura's border.</p><p>"Aizen, what's going on?" Harribel queries, arms crossed and wearing a frown.</p><p>Aizen takes a moment to himself, chuckling softly. He looks back at his army with a knowing smirk.</p><p>"It seems we've fallen into a trap."</p><p>The Arrancar all flinch when columns of fire erupt around them, shooting up into the sky with volcanic force. Spouts of flame light up one by one, the inferno converging into a blazing cage. </p><p>Starrk’s eyes widen at the sight, Lilynette nervously clinging to the hem of his garb. </p><p><em>What is this Reiatsu?!</em> a horrified Harribel wonders. The crushing heat feels heavier than anything she's ever encountered before. The Arrancar all become increasingly alarmed as they watch avenues for escape overtaken by fire. Aizen looks back at his nervous soldiers with a withering glare.</p><p>"Your fear is merited<em>," </em>the Arrancar Lord explains. "What you are witnessing is called <em>Ennetsu Jigoku</em>. None of you are a match for it."</p><p>Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto flash-steps before the Arrancar army, his Zanpakutō drawn. The flames of Ryūjin Jakka dance from the blade. Harribel's eyes widen as she beholds the source of the Reiatsu that had unnerved her. She didn't know such power existed.</p><p>"Ah, Yamamoto Genryūsai," Aizen announces cordially, his body language completely relaxed. "Where have you stowed the <em>real</em> Karakura Town?"</p><p>"Somewhere safe," Yamamoto replies. </p><p>"What is the meaning of this?" Barragan asks agitatedly, glowering at Yamamoto and then Aizen.</p><p>"It is <em>Tenkai Ketchu</em>," Aizen concludes, noting the confused looks from his subordinates. "An enormously powerful variation on the Senkaimon. Four pillars enveloping everything within their perimeter and transporting it into a commensurate space inside another realm. In layman's terms..."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>THE REAL KARAKURA TOWN – OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY </strong>
</p><p>"We swapped Karakura Town for a fake!" Rangiku Matsumoto explains excitedly, Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya nodding beside her.</p><p>Orihime manages a polite smile, but her eyes betray that she is freaked the hell out.</p><p>"All you need to know is that you are safe," Hitsugaya explains further. "And so are the people of Karakura Town. We're now in Soul Society – the 50th district of the Rukongai, to be exact. It had enough space to facilitate the switch."</p><p>"Wait, so... if we're in Soul Society, then where's Karakura Town?" Orihime asks, struggling to understand and trying hard not to melt down from stress.</p><p>"This <em>is</em> Karakura Town, transported into the Rukongai," Hitsugaya clarifies. "Every skilled hand in the Gotei was deployed to build an exact replica of the municipality, down to the last brick. They managed to get it done in a day. The town that Aizen is now invading in the World of the Living is a fake – completely unpopulated, with no chance of collateral damage."</p><p>Orihime looks around, noting that people are just walking around and going about their day. "Why isn't everyone panicking?"</p><p>"Because they don't know that a switch has occurred," Rangiku explains. "We planted the pillars overnight and threw in an encirclement spell to create the illusion of the horizon you're all used to. We also have some assistants keeping anyone from venturing outside of the vicinity..."</p><hr/><p>A driver honks his horn at the Karakura Town border, flummoxed by the wall of police cars blocking him. </p><p>"What's the deal?" the irate commuter asks, sticking his head out the window.</p><p>"There's been a chemical spill – <em>hop!</em>" a police officer who looks an awful lot like Rukia replies. "Please return to your residence until the danger has been resolved – <em>hop!</em>"</p><hr/><p>Hitsugaya summons a Senkaimon, giving a nod to Rangiku. "It's time."</p><p>"But Kurosaki-kun and the others!" Orihime protests. "They're still in Hueco Mundo. We need to –"</p><p>"They will be retrieved after the war is won," Hitsugaya asserts. "Don't worry..."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>FAKE KARAKURA TOWN – OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong>
</p><p>"Your scheme ends here, Aizen!" Yamamoto announces. "You have been outmaneuevered by the Gotei."</p><p>"By the <em>Gotei</em>?" Aizen scoffs. "You give yourself far too much credit. This was clearly the work of Urahara Kisuke."</p><p>"Silence!" Yama roars, Ryūjin Jakka blazing in his grip. "You are not in a position to protest. This war is over: You and your army will be incinerated in one fell swoop."</p><p>The flames of Ennetsu Jigoku begin to gradually close in. Genuine fear animates the Arrancars’ faces as they watch their lethal cage tighten. Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen are completely unfazed.</p><p>"You seem to be under the impression that I am a fool, Yamamoto Genryūsai," Aizen smirks. "How misguided of you, wagering your entire strategy on Ryūjin Jakka."</p><p>A towering figure flash-steps behind Yamamoto. The captain-commander instinctively whirls around, slashing his blade at the assailant. The edge is caught by Wonderweiss, the Arrancar's body elongated and face capped by a pronged, tall mask. Most disturbingly, Wonderweiss' eyes have been rendered empty sockets. Yamamoto is stunned when his flames dissipate in the Arrancar's grasp.</p><p>"Gyaaaaaah," Wonderweiss groans with a grin, swinging Yama in its grip and flinging him into the replica town below. The captain-commander lands on the ground with a crash, his body coiled and upright as he watches Ennetsu Jigoku dissipate above. <em>Why were the flames of Ryūjin Jakka extinguished</em>? he wonders, inspecting his blade.</p><p>"Shall I enlighten you?" Aizen gloats, gliding down and arriving 10 yards away from Genryūsai. "Your Ryūjin Jakka is the ultimate Zanpakutō, of that there can be no doubt. To engage you directly would be to court suicide. However, if one were to abandon all other abilities and specialize in only one thing, they would be able to oppose even your incredible power."</p><p>Wonderweiss lands between Yamamoto and Aizen, grinning mindlessly at the captain-commander.</p><p>"Wonderweiss is the only 'modified' Arrancar," Aizen elaborates. "The name of his Resurrección is <em><strong>Extinguir</strong></em>. He was created for one sole purpose: to suppress Ryūken Jakka. For this single ability, Wonderweiss traded his language, knowledge, memory, and even reason itself."</p><p>Harribel listens from above, her eyes narrowing with disdain. <em>Aizen, you beast</em>, she thinks.</p><p>"Farewell, Yamamoto Genryūsai," Aizen concludes with a smirk. The Arrancar Lord turns to stride away, Wonderweiss launching forward to attack Yamamoto. The captain-commander rears up his fist and punches a hole right through the monstrosity's chest, launching it back. Aizen halts when his creation flies past him and crashes through an untold number of buildings. He turns back to Yamamoto, nonplussed.</p><p>"I cannot believe how naïve you are!" Yamamoto cackles, his fist smoking from the strike. "Why do you think I've held the position of Captain-Commander for the last 1,000 years? It is because no Shinigami stronger than myself has been born since!"</p><p>Yama bounds forth and reaches Aizen in a blink, swinging his fist within an inch of the traitor's chin. His knuckle misses when he is pushed aside by a charging Wonderweiss. The Shinigami and Arrancar skid several yards away, Aizen watching with wry interest.</p><p>"You're quite a lively one," Yamamoto grumbles, tossing off his robes to expose his lithe and battle-scarred frame. "At the very least, I am glad you no longer have the form of a small child. I can beat you to death without remorse."</p><p>Wonderweiss charges again, swinging its elongated arms down upon Yamamoto. The captain-commander leaps back, dodging the strike, only to be struck by a flurry of punches from newly sprouted arms whipping out from Wonderweiss' frame. The Arrancar grips both of Yama's hands, its shoulders bursting open with dozens of new arms. They all swing with percussive strikes against the Shinigami.</p><p>"All done?" Genryūsai taunts, ripping Wonderweiss' primary arms off with the slightest exertion of strength. The Arrancar screams in pain, it's fresh stumps spurting with blood. The monstrosity gasps when Yama slams both of his fists against its chest, shattering it apart. </p><p>Lilynette's eyes widen at the sight. "Um... are we supposed to fight this guy?!" she asks, tugging nervously at Starrk's sash.</p><p>Harribel looks on grimly at Wonderweiss' destruction while the Tres Bestias all tense up with emotion. </p><p><em>I am sorry, Bismuto</em>, Harribel thinks. <em>Your sacrifice will not be in vain.</em></p><hr/><p>
  <em>We FLASHBACK to the time when Tier Harribel first met Bismuto Margela. Frightened and wretched, the childlike Arrancar throws himself between a wounded Emilou Apacci and an enormous Adjuchas barreling towards her. He braces for death, only to watch the behemoth be cleaved clean through by Harribel. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Vasto Lorde lands onto the sand, awash in the Adjuchas' blood. She shoots Bismuto a suspicious look, prompting him to stumble back and fall flat on his ass. He expects death as the regal Arrancar approaches. Instead, she kneels down and scrutinizes him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why did you try and protect Emilou when you were no match for that Arrancar" Harribel queries. "You were just about to be devoured, and for what? You don't know her, and you had no reason to believe she would reward you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I didn't really think it through..." Bismuto stammers. "I... I saw that she couldn't defend herself. It was instinctual."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That is a rare quality," Harribel muses. "Your aspect of death is sacrifice, isn't it?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bismuto nervously nods. His violet eyes widen when Harribel offers him her hand.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I am born of sacrifice, too," Harribel continues. "My name is Tier Harribel. You have my protection if you wish it. What is your name?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I am... Bismuto Margela," the blonde Arrancar answers, reaching up to clasp her hand.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Bismuto sits amongst the dozens of Arrancar under Harribel's protection, nervously watching as she barters with the mysterious Shinigami who calls himself Sōsuke Aizen. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You harbor many weak Arrancar in your clan," Aizen observes, staring Harribel down at a cliffside. "They will continue to attract larger, more unruly Hollows looking for an expedient meal if you persist in living on the fringes of Hueco Mundo. Join me in Las Noches, where they will all be protected."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I know who you are, Aizen Sōsuke," Harribel retorts. "You offer slavery and call it protection."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"My offer is for you to follow me – nothing more," Aizen says serenely. "Together we will ascend to the heavens, where we will look down on both Hueco Mundo and Soul Society. Have you ever dared to imagine such a vantage?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aizen scans the throngs of Arrancar crowded behind Harribel. Bismuto feels both exhilaration and fear when the Shinigami's eyes meet his.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Have you also considered what would happen to your charges if you yourself became an enemy of Las Noches?" Aizen adds icily, returning his gaze to Harribel. The Vasto Lorde tenses, knowing that resistance would mean annihilation.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"... You guarantee their safety?" she conditions.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I guarantee they will serve on the winning side of the war to come," Aizen answers with a thin smile. "That is more safety than this wasteland will ever bring you."</em>
</p><hr/><p>"<em>He did what?!" Apacci cries out in horror, racing down the passages of Las Noches with Cyan and Mila Rose giving chase. She finds Harribel leaning against a column, watching solemnly as Bismuto is escorted down the hallway by Choe Neng Poww and Ggio Vega. </em></p><p>
  <em>"Lady Harribel – is it true?" Apacci asks, panicked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"... It was his decision," Harribel answers tersely. "He volunteered."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Bismuto!" Apacci cries out, running up to confront Bismuto. Poww and Vega irritably halt their march, holding the small Arrancar by his arms.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Bismuto, you don't have to do this!" Apacci protests. "Lord Aizen can use any fool – you are with us!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I know I don't have to do it, Apacci," Bismuto replies sweetly, his expression nervous but resigned. "I'm not strong like you – I can't help Lady Harribel on the battlefield. This way, I can please Lord Aizen while serving a purpose."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bismuto looks over Apacci's shoulder to gaze at Harribel, smiling at her warmly. "It's like you said, Lady Harribel: we are alike in sacrifice."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Harribel is silent for a beat, then gives Bismuto a nod. "Be brave, Bismuto," she advises, the quavering of her voice betraying her sadness.</em>
</p><hr/><p>We return to the present moment. Harribel gazes down at the remnants of Wonderweiss strewn across the ground. <em>That was no longer Bismuto</em>, she reflects. <em>Aizen killed him long before.</em></p><p>Yamamoto stares sadly at Wonderweiss' decapitated head, noting its pained expression.</p><p>"Wretched thing," the captain-commander laments. "He wasn't able to strip away your feelings, too? What a cruel thing to do."</p><p>"Cruel?" Aizen objects, gazing up at Yama from a perch of rubble. "A soul that's become a Hollow has no purpose. It does nothing more than meaninglessly hunt down other souls to prey on. What is cruel about granting meaning to such an existence?"</p><p>"I'm not going to entertain your foolish arguments,"  Yamamoto retorts, flash-stepping to meet Aizen. "Prattle on while you still can. This will be over very soon."</p><p>"Foolish arguments?" Aizen repeats with a smirk. "Your taking my words so lightly has caused you to overlook something. Recall carefully what I said before: Wonderweiss' Extinguir was created for the sole purpose of suppressing Ryūjen Jakka. But what of the flames you had already released from your sword? Where were those flames sealed away?"</p><p>Yamamoto looks back to see Wonderweiss' head swell, pulsating heat radiating from the cranium. </p><p>"I'm sure you're well aware of what would happen if all the power you brought forth were to indiscriminately explode in a single instant?" Aizen adds.</p><p>Yamamoto instinctively leaps atop Wonderweiss' swelling dome, throwing himself on the grenade before it explodes. The Arrancar overhead all shield themselves as an enormous inferno erupts from Karakura Town, the shockwave bending and breaking the surrounding buildings. Aizen coolly stands still before the onslaught, watching as the blast subsides. Yama lays at the bottom of the resulting crater, his body a charred heap.</p><p>"Well done," Aizen comments. "If you hadn't stifled the explosion with your body, then your fragile barrier would have been blown away while an area many times the size of this tiny town would have been reduced to ash. You had no choice."</p><p>Yama pants, struggling to prop himself up by an elbow. His strength gives out and he collapses, on the verge of losing consciousness. Aizen strides down the slope of the crater, grasping the hilt of Kyōka Suigetsu.</p><p>"Yamamoto Genryūsai, you are the very history of Soul Society itself," Aizen muses. "Its legacy will die with you in this pit..."</p><p>Aizen halts when Captain Retsu Unohana of the Fourth Division flash-steps between him and Yamamoto. He relaxes his fingers from the hilt of his katana. There is a prolonged silence shared between the two Shinigami as they stare each other down.</p><p>"Hello, Aizen," Unohana says at last. "I was just remembering the last time we spoke. You predicted that you would never see me again."</p><p>"So I did, Unohana Retsu," Aizen acknowledges with a thin smile. "Has the proud pacifist of the Gotei 13 come to break her vow and draw her sword at last?"</p><p>"I have come only to heal the wounded," Unohana replies with steel in her voice. "However, I cannot speak for the others."</p><p>Aizen arches a brow and looks up to see five Shinigami staring down at him: Byakuya Kuchiki, Sajin Komamura, Kyōraku Shunsui, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and Jūshirō Ukitake. The remaining captains of the Gotei 13 all gathered to face down the Arrancar Army.</p><p>"My my, Aizen, I'd say you've downgraded your wardrobe," Shunsui remarks, tilting up his straw hat. "White does little favors for your complexion."</p><p>Aizen's smile broadens – he returns his gaze to Unohana.</p><p>"We will see if your vow still holds before the day is through," he taunts. With that, the Arrancar Lord flash-steps back to rejoin his army, gazing at the gathered Gotei 13 from afar.</p><p>"Today just keeps gettin' more interestin', dont'cha think, Cap'n Aizen?" Gin remarks to his master.</p><p>"Indeed," Aizen grins. "Just a few more gnats to swat away before we proceed with creating the Ōken."</p><p>Lilynette is completely flustered by the situation. She yanks Starrk by the ear; he winces as she drags his face down to meet hers.</p><p>"How come Lord Aizen's still acting too cool for school?" Lilynette asks in an agitated whisper. "These Shinigami have already pulled a freakin' town switcheroo. The plan's already shot!"</p><p>"Lord Aizen is confident because he accounted for every possible contingency," Tōsen answers, having overheard the pint-sized Arrancar. "Observe how his foresight has already defeated Soul Society's greatest warrior. I advise all of you to place your trust in Lord Aizen's power and vision. Trust in him... as I do."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>LAS NOCHES – OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong>
</p><p>Rukia stirs awake from what felt like a feverish dream. Her blurry vision sharpens to observe Isane Kotetsu kneeling over her, casting a healing Kidō. Rukia instinctually bolts up, only to grimace from the still-mending punctures in her abdomen.</p><p>"Rest, Rukia," Isane urges with a soothing tone. "You had a very close brush with death – it will take some more time to patch you up."</p><p>Rukia groggily lays back, blinking from the sunlight gleaming into Aaroniero's ruined palace. She looks around, recognizing that she and Isane are surrounded by comrades: Sado and Uryū are both looming over her, watching worriedly as her injuries are erased. Kenpachi, Yachiru, Suí-Fēng, and Ōmaeda are all sitting amidst the rubble. </p><p>"Chad... Uryū?" Rukia groans with a weak smile. "It looks like I missed a lot."</p><p>"Isane and I followed the concentration of Reiatsu to find you all," Chad explains. "Apparently Uryū saved you and the captains from an Espada."</p><p>Rukia's eyes widen. She's impressed, but is swiftly taken aback when she sees the grave expression on Ishida's face.</p><p>"Aizen has left Hueco Mundo to invade the World of the Living, trapping us all here," Uryū recounts. "Karakura Town was his target all along. Without anyone defending it... all of our friends – <em>everyone</em> – are dying right now while we can't do any – <em>ohfuck</em>!"</p><p>He spots Kenpachi swinging for his head, ducking at the last possible moment with a yelp. Kenpachi, despite having severed most of his tendons during the fight against Zommari, managed to maintain his sword-wielding arm along with some piss and vinegar.</p><p>"What the hell?!" the Quincy protests. "I thought we were on the same side!"</p><p>"Don't go underestimating us Shinigami," Kenpachi grumbles, digging his unnamed Zanpakutō in the frosted tile. "Aizen trapped us here, Aizen's planned this all along, Aizen's unstoppable – blah, blah, blah. Even if that weasel got the jump on us, I guarantee you the rest of the Gotei 13 are defending your town tooth and nail right now."</p><p>"He's right," Suí-Fēng concurs, glaring at Ishida severely. "Instead of letting despair get the better of you, trust in the Gotei 13 and focus on what we can accomplish here. We need to find a Garganta."</p><p>"What about Inoue?" Chad cuts in. "Aizen said she's in the Fifth Tower –"</p><p>"Then that's where we need to go!" Rukia declares. The entire group looks to see the pint-sized Shinigami up on her feet, her wounds mended and determination stoked.</p><p>"Fine, we can look for the girl <em>and</em> a Garganta in the Fifth Tower," Suí-Fēng concludes. "Isane, attend to Kenpachi next."</p><p>Isane walks over to the 10th Division captain and casts Kidō over his bloody body. She looks to Uryū with concern.</p><p>"A word of warning, Ishida – I will not be able to help you," Isane warns. "If what you told me is true, then you are completely paralyzed from the neck down. Repairing the damage to your spine is beyond my abilities: once you have exhausted your Reiryoku, you will be completely defenseless."</p><p>"All the more reason for us to find Inoue soon," Uryū replies soberly. "When I severed my cervical rung, I knew that she would be the only one who could repair the damage."</p><p>"You did <em>what</em>?!" Rukia exclaims, aghast. "Uryū, that was reckless!"</p><p>"It was a leap of faith," the Quincy replies. "We came here to rescue Inoue: either we return home with her, or I won't be returning at all."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>THE HUECO MUNDO DUNES – OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong>
</p><p>Nelliel kneels before the dual six-feet-deep graves where Grimmjow and Nnoitra's bodies have been laid to rest. Ichigo stands beside her, grimly paying one last look at his former rival. Grimmjow, lifeless, has a peaceful expression on his oft-contemptuous face. Nelliel, head bowed, swipes her hand through the air – generating a rush of wind that carries waves of sand spilling into the graves. Ichigo watches as Grimmjow's body is subsumed.</p><p>Nelliel rises to her full height, smearing off the tears on her face with a wrist. Shifting gears in a flash, she casts Ichigo a merry look.</p><p>"Thank you, Ichigo," the former Tercera says sweetly. "I will take you to the Fifth Tower now – hop on my back!"</p><p>"W-what?" Ichigo stammers, taken aback. "Why?"</p><p>"Yeah, why?" Renji concurs, standing with Yumichika several paces back.</p><p>"I have the fastest Sonído amongst the Arrancar," Nel explains. "I can get you to Orihime in seconds. Now hop on my back!"</p><p>She kneels down, smiling expectantly at Ichigo. He blushes, then awkwardly relents. "Am I doing this right?" he asks, straddling the back of her waist.</p><p>"Yes, perfecta!" Nel answers sunnily, locking her elbows over his thighs, securing him. She poises herself and then launches forward, cutting through the dunes at supersonic speed – leaving billows of sand in her wake.</p><p>Renji and Yumichika stare in astonishment as Nel becomes a blip in the distance, Ichigo's yelp of surprise a faint echo.</p><p>"Well, I guess we should follow," Yumichika concludes, turning back to bid farewell to Dondochakka and Pesche. "You two hang back. We don't need you tagging along this time."</p><p>"Yessir!" Pesche answers. He and Dondochakka simultaneously give a dramatic salute. Yumichika smiles, finally endeared by the pair of annoying Arrancar.</p><p>"Thank you, guys," Renji says. "You're... <em>spirited</em> comrades, and good guardians."</p><p>"It was an honor!" Dondochakka wails. Both he and Pesche begins to sob, touched by the compliment. Yumichika frowns, reminded of why he found them annoying to begin with.</p><p>"Okay, let's go," the Third Seat grumbles, sprinting away with Renji to follow Ichigo and Nelliel.</p><hr/><p>Ichigo’s face is flapping in the wind as he struggles to hold onto a prancing Nelliel. In mere seconds, they’ve reached their destination and are standing before the Fifth Tower. It looms impossibly high, the peak reaching the canvas of the Hueco Mundo sky. It's even taller than Mount Mandible.</p><p>"We're here," Nelliel announces, relaxing her grip on Ichigo's legs. The Substitute Shinigami slides from her back, his hair comically blown back and expression dazed. He realizes that Nel is on guard: they're not alone.</p><p>Rudbornn stands at the entrance of the tower, flanked by dozens of his Exequias. Still as stone and faces masked with pearl-white skulls, the platoon cuts a menacing visage.</p><p>"I am Rudbornn Chelute, captain of the Exequias," the commander announces, his guttural voice flaring through the slits of his taurus-skull mask. "State your business."</p><p>Ichigo frowns, grasping at Zangetsu strapped to his back. "Kurosaki Ichigo, Substitute Shinigami of Karakura Town," he answers, mimicking Rudbornn's formality. "I'm here to take Inoue away from you and bring her home.</p><p>Rudbornn stares Ichigo down for a beat, then extends a hand back to the entrance, as if welcoming the Substitute Shinigami.</p><p>"Lord Aizen has granted you passage to retrieve Inoue Orihime, Shinigami," the Exequias commander says. "But you alone. Nelliel Tu Odelschwank and all other intruders will be destroyed if they attempt to enter."</p><p>"Ichigo, this is suspicious," Nelliel murmurs. "I will not allow you to go alone."</p><p>"I got this, Nel," Ichigo counters, giving the Arrancar a warm smile. "Thank you for bringing me this far, but saving Orihime is <em>my </em>job. I'll have her back down here in a minute."</p><p>Nelliel sees the determination in Ichigo's eyes, then turns her attention back to Rudbornn. "I will be here awaiting your return," she relents. </p><p>Ichigo, needing no further prompting, dashes forward. He sprints past the acquiescing Rudbornn, reaches the entrance, and jumps into the air. "Bankai!" he exclaims excitedly, bursting into a blaze or Reiatsu and emerging with Tensa Zangetsu in his grip, flying up the face of the tower to reach Aizen's throne room. "I'm coming, Inoue!"</p><p>The Substitute Shinigami scales hundreds of levels of the spire until he reaches floor that he senses contains Aizen's throne. He swings Tensa Zangetsu, bursting through the wall and entering the chamber in a cloud of smoke. Gazing around, he immediately realizes that something is wrong.</p><p><em>I don't sense Inoue's presence at all</em>, he thinks, striding through the darkly lit hall, scrutinizing the pillars flanking the seat carved into stone at the other end. </p><p>"Inoue!" he calls out, hoping for an answer.</p><p>"Inoue Orihime is no longer in Las Noches," a dulcet whisper echoes from the shadows. </p><p>Ichigo feels a heavy and familiar Reiatsu signature assert itself on him, its weight halting his steps. Wide-eyed, he watches in horror as Ulquiorra Cifer emerges from behind the pillar closest to Aizen's seat. The Cuarta Espada strides forward, his vacant eyes boring into the Substitute Shinigami, hand grasping the hilt of his Zanpakutō.</p><p>"Ulquiorra?" Ichigo whispers, feeling a pang of fear – which swiftly gives way to rage. "Where the hell is Inoue?!"</p><p>"I have already answered that question," Ulquiorra replies. "She is no longer in Las Noches. The girl has returned to the World of the Living, where she will fulfill  her use to Lord Aizen."</p><p>Ichigo's blood runs cold. <em>How could I be so stupid? </em>he chastises himself, wondering why he would ever take Aizen's word at face value. Ulquiorra halts within six yards of Ichigo, scrutinizing his unnerved expression.</p><p>"You fear you have foolishly walked into a trap?" Ulquiorra asks. "Indeed you have."</p><p>The Espada draws his blade, brandishing the point at Ichigo.</p><p>"Prepare yourself, Shinigami," Ulquiorra commands. "I will not allow you to walk away again."</p><p>Ichigo's grip tightens around Tensa Zangetsu's hilt. Feeling his fury mount, he lets his black Reiatsu spill out from him, flecks of the aura cracking the tile beneath his feet.</p><p>"So Inoue is in Karakura Town?" he grits. "It's simple then: I'll defeat you, find a way home, and beat Aizen. Fine by me, Ulquiorra!"</p><p>The Substitute Shinigami launches forth, pure bloodlust in his eyes as he locks blades with the Cuarta Espada.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>FAKE KARAKURA TOWN - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY </strong>
</p><p>Aizen's eyes dart from each of the four pillars, noting their lack of fortification. </p><p>"Are we just going to stare at these Shinigami all day?" Barragan irately asks his lord, glowering at the collection of Gotei captains before them. "If this town is not our target, then what is the point?"</p><p>"Patience, Barragan," Aizen chides the Espada with a condescending hush. "The Tenkai Ketchu will remain in effect so long as the four pillars remain standing. Knock them down, and the real Karakura Town will return. Kaname?"</p><p>Tōsen, on cue, raises a palm and conjures an innocuous Kidō that launches above, serving as a permissive flare. The Hooleer observes the signal and responds in kind: the behemoth rears up and spits out four bloody, fleshy wads of matter that unfurl into screeching Menos. Aizen smirks at the Gotei as his beasts disperse and trudge over to each of their assigned pillars – only for them to flinch when they near the towers. There is a visible struggle from all directions, only for the four Hollows to screech and implode from fatal wounds. </p><p>"Now now, Aizen," Shunsui chides from beneath his straw hat. "Did you really think we'd leave the pillars unattended?" </p><p>Aizen takes a second look and clocks each of the Shinigami posted at the pillars: Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi of the Ninth Division stands atop at the northwest tower, Rangiku Matsumoto of the 10th Division at the southwest tower, Tetsuzaemon Iba of the Seventh Division at the southeast tower, and Izuru Kira at the southwest tower. All of the officers have their Zanpakutō drawn, ready to take on any assailant.</p><p>"I count Hisagi and Kira among the resistance," Aizen notes to Gin and Tōsen. The Arrancar Lord casts a scrutinizing glare to his subordinates: "How does that make you feel?"</p><p>"Unsurprised," Tōsen answers. "Hisagi is a dutiful man."</p><p>"Whoo boy, Kira feels angrier'n I expected," Gin muses. "I can sense his rage from here."</p><p>"And Matsumoto Rangiku?" Aizen adds, his eyes glinting as he scrutinizes Gin. </p><p>"... What about 'er?" Gin grins with mock wonderment.</p><p>Aizen studies his generals for a beat, then casts Barragan a withering gaze: "I entrust the destruction of the pillars to you."</p><p>Barragan glares furiously back at his commander, then begrudgingly motions to his Fracción. </p><p>"Poww, Calius, Vega, Friegen – <em>see to it</em>," the King of Hueco Mundo commands. Four of his five entourage launch forward, arriving at their targets in a flash of Sonído. </p><p>The dispersal of Fracción triggers a sorting amongst all of the other present combatants. Sensing their moment, the Gotei and Espada confront each other in a manner that feels instinctual, like a matter of pure gravity. In a blink of Sonído and Shunpo, the players have each chosen their counterpart:</p><p>Shunsui and Ukitake find themselves staring down Starrk and Gingerbuck.</p><p>Hitsugaya stands opposite Harribel and the Tres Bestias.</p><p>Byakuya faces Barragan and his Fracción leader, Shawlong Koufe. </p><p>Aizen grins, pleased to see the chessboard set itself. He has spent a century cultivating this battle and here it is, with each of the pawns choosing their own fate.</p><p>First Division Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe trudges amongst the ruins below, stepping into the crater created by Wonderweiss' implosion. He finds Unohana tending to Yamamoto at the epicenter.</p><p>"<em>Captain-Commander</em>," Sasakibe gasps when he observes Yama's ruined state. He turns his attention to Unohana: "What is his condition?"</p><p>"Critical," Unohana answers bluntly. "He will live, so long as I continue to heal him, but he will not be able to fight for the remainder of this battle."</p><p>Yamamoto wearily watches the assortment of Shinigami and Arrancar looming above, depressed that he cannot intervene. <em>I have left you all with a daunting challenge</em>, the Captain-Commander reflects. <em>Please prevail</em>. </p><p>Tōshirō unsheathes Hyōrinmaru and assumes a guard stance, passively observing the Tres Bestias while they bicker over who gets to fight him first.</p><p>"I get first crack at him – I've got seniority!" Apacci hisses, jabbing a thumb at her chest.</p><p>"You have no such thing, Apacci," Mila Rose counters. "I am the strongest amongst us; <em>I </em>reserve the honor of –"</p><p>"– <em>All </em>of you attack him," Harribel cuts in, drawing looks from her Fracción. "Set aside your squabbles and recognize that that child before you is a Shinigami captain. To attain his rank at such an age means he is exceptional. If you try and fight him one on one, each of you will lose. Fight him as three prongs of the same trident, and he will fall." </p><p>Hitsugaya arches a brow, assuming a <em>Shin No Kamae</em> stance. "I'm actually older than I look," he mutters under his breath.</p><p>"WHAT'S THAT, SHORTY?!" Apacci shouts at the captain mockingly. "You heard Lady Harribel – we're not going to underestimate you, so don't go underestimating us!"</p><p>"I think he has a cute face," Cyan remarks, cradling her drawn katana. "I call dibs on keeping his head."</p><p>"You'll hear no challenge from me for the little child's head," Mila Rose says demurely. </p><hr/><p>
  <em>The remainder of this section is still in outline form. A rewrite of these materials is on my to-do list.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - The Seventh Tower / Base Level</strong>
</p><p>Renji and Yumichika arrive at the base of the Seventh Tower, joining Nelliel in staring down Rudbornn and his forces. Renji demands right of passage, to which the Arrancar and his soldiers draw their swords. Rudbornn lunges at Renji, forcing him to parry his strikes. The lieutenant releases Zabimaru and swings it at the Exequias commander, pushing him back. Nelliel darts between the foot soldiers, dispatching them one by one with discrete sword slashes while Yumichika defensively fends off attackers. The trio swiftly destroy the Exequias until only Rudbornn remains. The Arrancar releases his Resurrección, Árbol, and sprouts a whole new crop of Exequias. Renji mutters an obscenity under his breath as they ready for the next wave.</p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - The Seventh Tower / Top Level</strong>
</p><p>Ichigo battles Ulquiorra in Aizen’s throne room, the two combatants fighting on par with each other — at least at face value. Ichigo is clearly exerting himself while Ulquiorra’s swings are comparatively casual. The Espada advises him not to let his guard down for an instant, lest he be trounced like last time. The maneuvers of their duel play out similarly to how they did in the Canon — minus having Orihime as a witness.</p><p>
  <strong>• Fake Karakura Town </strong>
</p><p>Hitsugaya battles Harribel and her Fracción simultaneously. The Espada is minimally engaged, locking blades with the captain here and there while he spends most of his time fending off her subordinates. The Tres Bestias all bicker amongst themselves over who will get to deliver the killing blow against the Shinigami. Hitsugaya responds by throwing serpentine swings of Tensō Jūrin from the Shikai-activated Hyōrinmaru — which the three Arrancar dodge in a panic. Emilou Apacci is the least fortunate, caught and encased in an icy prison. An incensed Harribel conjures Ola Azul within her Zanpakuto and launches it at Hitsugaya — the blast sending him crashing into a vacant building.</p><p>Shunsui lackadaisically sword fights with Starrk while a bemused Ukitake parries strikes from an ineffectual Lilynette. The 8th Division Captain asks the Espada if he will get serious; Starrk answers that he’d be more interested if his opponent unveiled a Bankai. Shunsui, with a winsome grin, admits that his Bankai would be “counterproductive” for this battle. Starrk is irritated by the crypticness and manifests a Cero from his chest — the sheer power and velocity of the blast startling both captains. Shunsui asks Starrk if Barragan or Harribel are even more formidable than he is. The Arrancar, with a sigh, tugs the glove from his hand to reveal his number — 1. He is the Primera Espada. </p><p>Byakuya stares down Barragan and his closest subordinate, Shawlong Koufe. A loquacious type, Shawlong waxes philosophical on Kuchiki’s temerity to challenge the King of Hueco Mundo. The Fracción member activates his Resurrección, Tijereta. With a long and verbose monologue, he boasts how he is the mightiest amongst Barragan’s entourage and will “take great pleasure in eviscerating --”</p><p>Before the Arrancar can finish his introduction, Byakuya flash-steps past him, discretely sheathing his blade. Shawlong’s words trail off as he splits in half from the waist down, his torso and legs plummeting separately from the sky. </p><p>Barragan cocks an eyebrow, impressed by Byakuya’s expediency. Swinging his enormous axe over his shoulder, the Segunda Espada beckons the 6th Division Captain to come at him. Byakuya flash-steps to the King of Hueco Mundo’s right and draws his blade — only to feel his swing grow slower the closer it nears Barragan’s body. Spooked, Byakuya dashes several yards back. Barragan casts a condescending glare his way, asking why he hesitated. Byakuya does not answer, instead flash-stepping around Barragan’s proximity before lunging from behind. He swings, only to feel his movement slow — it’s as if he is trying to curve his blade while underwater. Barragan turns his gaze upon the Shinigami and reaches out to grasp him. Byakuya nimbly dashes back again, disturbed by this phenomena. </p><p>Barragan queries Byakuya as to who he is — what is his position in Soul Society? Byakuya answers that he is the Captain of Division Six, and a member of the Royal Kuchiki clan. Barragan studies Byakuya’s stolid expression for a beat, and then expresses pleasure at being faced with Shinigami royalty -- an arrogant royal, at that! Brandishing his axe, the Espada promises to shatter the Shinigami’s pride before he dies.</p><p>We check in with the lieutenants’ respective battles at each of the Tenkai Ketchu pillars. We do not spend much time with any of these battles — just enough to witness each of the respective members of Barragan’s Fracción introduce themselves. Hisagi is paired against Findorr, Kira against Vega, Rangiku against Friegen, and Tetsuzaemon against Poww. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - Seventh Tower / Base Level</strong>
</p><p>Renji thrusts his sword into the last remaining member of Rudborrn’s latest wave of Exequias. Fatigued, the lieutenant warns Yumichika and Nel that they’ll have to figure out how to blunt the Arrancar’s replenishing army before they’re overwhelmed. Rudborrn hoists himself into the air with his branches, boasting that his troops are inexhaustible — he is the reigning law of Hueco Mundo, and he will eradicate the intruders with sheer numbers. </p><p>Yumichika sighs dramatically as he realizes what he must do. He demands that Renji never tell anyone of what he is about to witness. A flabbergasted Renji gives him his word. Running his hand over his Zanpakuto, Yumichika activates his ability — Ruri’iro Kujaku. The sickle-shaped blade radiates with a brilliant color and suddenly sprouts several vines — each of them latching onto one of Rudborrn’s branches. The Arrancar grows alarmed as he feels his own Reiryoku seeping out from him, his fresh crop of blooming Exequias overtaken by the multi-colored energy. Yumichika explains that his Shikai latches onto an opponent and drains their Reiatsu to create flowers. Rubdornn curses the Shinigami as he desperately hacks at the encroaching vines, his troops reduced to blooming flora. Yumichika snatches one of the petals and takes a bite, encouraging Renji and Nelliel to do the same.</p><p>Renji feels his energy surging after nibbling on one of the petals. He asks Yumichika why he had been hiding such a nifty power all this time. The third seat explains that his ability clashes with the confrontational philosophy of Division 11 — he does not want to disappoint his comrades. </p><p>Suddenly, Yachiru’s voice cuts through the chatter — why would Yumichika be so vain as to hide his potential? The third seat blushes scarlet as he looks back to see his Captain and Lieutenant staring him in the face. He apologizes profusely, assuring Kenpachi that he wouldn’t have unveiled his ability had he known his superior would see it. Yachiru frowns from Kenpachi’s shoulder, chiding Yumichika for concealing his strength from them. Kenpachi stares down at a horrified Yumichika for a long beat, then states “I didn’t see shit.” The third seat exhales a sigh of relief, telling his captain that the Arrancar had been neutralized by an inexplicable bit of providence. </p><p>The vines of Ruri’iro Kujaku have fully overtaken Rudborrn. The Shikai’s tendrils are pulsing and thick, drinking from the Arrancar’s corpse as they bloom with nourishing flowers. Rukia, Isane, Chad, Ōmaeda, and Ishida all stand behind Kenpachi, disgusted by the gruesome sight. Renji is overjoyed to see Rukia alive, rushing to her and asking if she’s alright. Rukia smiles that she is — now where are Orihime and Ichigo? Renji points up to the top level of the Seventh Tower, explaining how Ichigo had flown up to retrieve Inoue. </p><p>Nelliel is overjoyed to see Rukia and Ishida again — they are flabbergasted by her adult form. Renji tells them that it’s a long story, then realizes that Captain Suí-Fēng is not among the crew. He asks where she is. Ōmaeda responds by pointing up at the Seventh Tower, stating that she has already infiltrated the fortress. </p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - Seventh Tower / Interior</strong>
</p><p>The Arrancar Menoly Mallia patrols the hallways near where Orihime had been kept captive. Turning a corner, she is grabbed and pinned against the wall by Suí-Fēng. Menoly is petrified as Suí-Fēng holds a Zanpakuto across her throat, the 2nd Division Captain demanding to know where Aizen’s Garganta is located. Suddenly, Loly Aivirrne appears and lunges at Suí-Fēng from behind, screaming that she will kill her for threatening Menoly. In one fluid motion, Suí-Fēng spins around, cuts Loly clean across the throat, and returns her blade to Menoly’s neck. Menoly watches in horror as her confidante writhes on the floor, dying. She answers that it’s no use — Lord Aizen ordered all of the Gargantas within Hueco Mundo to be sealed from within. There is no way out of the realm — Gargantas can only be reopened by Aizen’s forces from the World of the Living, now. Suí-Fēng grimaces at the bad news, but tells Menoly that she believes her. She knees the Arrancar deep in the solar plexus and leaves her crumpled on the floor, unconscious beside the freshly dead Loly.</p><p>
  <strong>• Las Noches - Seventh Tower / Top Level</strong>
</p><p>Ichigo struggles to parry Ulquiorra’s strikes. The Espada asks him what he is still fighting for: Orihime Inoue has been returned to her home, has she not? Ichigo is incredulous, answering that he is still fighting to protect Orihime and everyone in Karakura Town. </p><p>Ulquiorra responds that Ichigo did not understand his question: what is he fighting for, given that there is no longer any escape from Hueco Mundo and Orihime Inoue is now completely unreachable? The Espada answers his own question: Ichigo is fighting for his own survival. He casually swings his blade, knocking Ichigo back several paces, and elaborates that the Substitute Shinigami has been more impressive during this rematch. He is unfettered by conviction or duty to the girl; he is only operating on self-preservation. Separated from all of his ideals, he has been stripped down to the truest of instincts — merely continuing to live. </p><p>Ichigo, provoked, screams that Ulquiorra is wrong and unleashes a Getsuga Tenshou. Ulquiorra fires back a Cero, the cumulative blast blowing out the balcony of Aizen’s throne room. </p><p>We cut back to the ground level of the tower, with the Nakama witnessing the explosion from below. Rukia exclaims that Ichigo must be in trouble. Nelliel draws her Zanpakuto, remarking that she senses Ulquiorra Cifer’s Reiatsu signature. There is agreement within the group that they all should provide Ichigo backup, but their discussion is curtailed when Yammy Riyalgo leaps out from the fortress, landing right on top of Rudborrn’s entombed vines with a crash. Emerging from the plumes of sand, the Décima Espada’s eyes are bloodshot with anger as he points to Chad, announcing that he has a score to settle with the little runt.</p><p>Kenpachi rests his sword over his shoulder, looking back at Sado and asking if he knows this Arrancar. Chad responds that he had beaten him earlier in a fight. Kenpachi, with a laugh, declares that Yammy must be fodder, then — no offense to Chad. Yammy, eye twitching from sheer indignation, declares that the Shinigami will soon eat his own words. Grasping the hilt of his Zanpakuto, he cries out “Be Enraged — Ira.” A torrent of Reiatsu erupts from him, waves of sand flowing over the startled Nakama. Renji asks Nelliel what the hell this is. She responds that Yammy was not recruited yet when she was an Espada, so his power remains unknown to her.</p><p>Yammy swells to a monstrous height, taking on Kaiju proportions as his form sprouts eight legs and a club-like tail. His number 10 tattoo DOES NOT flake into a 0. He towers over the Nakama, roaring that while he may be the Décima Espada, his Resurrección packs the most dramatic boost in power out of all the Arrancar — making him the strongest Adjuchas when in his released state. His aspect is Rage, and he has been storing up a huge amount of ire after being repeatedly humiliated by the Shinigami. Ishida quietly urges the others to scatter so that they can devise a strategy to deal with this humongous foe. Before the Quincy can even finish his sentence, Kenpachi launches himself into the air, swinging his sword at the Arrancar head-on. Yammy catches the captain with his fist, sending him flying over a mile’s distance and crashing into another tower. The Nakama all disperse in different directions as Yammy brings his other fist crashing down into the ground, sending a shockwave of sand into the sky. </p><p>
  <strong>• Fake Karakura Town</strong>
</p><p>Byakuya is dashing through the alleyways of Karakura Town. He pivots on a corner and runs into Barragan, the Espada reaching out to grasp him. Byakuya launches up into the skyline, casting Hado #33: Sōkatsui. Flame erupts from his hands, striking down at Barragan like lightning. The Espada deflects the attack with an aggressive swing of his axe, exploding the encircling buildings. Byakuya surveys the damage from above, only to realize that Barragan has flash-stepped beside him, the Espada’s fingertips touching him on the left shoulder. The captain plummets down and crashes onto a rooftop, losing total control or feeling in his arm. </p><p>Barragan peers down imperiously at the Shinigami, boasting that his aspect is “Decrepitude” — the inexorable march towards frailty.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>His Reiatsu inflicts the cruelty of time, withering all living things into dust. Byakuya unsheathes his Zanpakuto, commenting that even if he can’t get physically close to Barragan, he can still reach him. He scatters his blade into the petals of Senbonzakura, the torrent swirling up and encircling the Espada. The blades lose their momentum in Barragan’s proximity, grinding to a near-halt as the King of Hueco Mundo raises his axe. In case it wasn’t clear, the Espada intones with condescension: his Reiatsu effects all. Barragan launches down from the sky, bringing his axe down at Byakuya. The captain hurriedly summons Senbonzakura to surge down and reconstitute itself into a single blade, blocking Barragan’s strike at the very last second before impact. He senses his strength slowly ebbing away as Barragan flexes his weight on the blade. Soon he will be overpowered.</p><p>Byakuya activates a Hado that erupts energy from his feet, the blast smashing the ground beneath him. He falls through the roof, lands on the floor below, and dashes out through the window. Barragan watches with bemusement as the Shinigami flash-steps out of sight, remarking that this particular ant is resourceful.</p><p>Hitsugaya parries strikes from Mila Rose and Sung-Sun before flash-stepping back, escaping into an alleyway. The two Fracción pursue, Mila Rose crying out that they have the captain on the run. They storm in only to realize that it’s a dead end. Hitsugaya calls down to them from above, swinging his blade and inflicting a slash of Tensō Jūrin. Both Arrancars’ eyes widen as they are engulfed in the freezing current. Hitsugaya casts repeated slashes, layering on the ice until the alleyway is frozen solid from ground to rooftop. He touches down on the enormous cube he’s forged, locking eyes with a disdainful Tier Harribel from afar. Acknowledging that the battle is now one-on-one, Tōshirō releases his Bankai: Daiguren Hyōrinmaru. He launches at Harribel, who responds by flinging another Ola Azul. Hitsugaya swings his blade, responding with Hyōryū Senbi. The two attacks crash into each other and erupt, Harribel zipping through the explosion to lock blades with the Shinigami.</p><p>Aizen watches the battles progress from above, Gin and Tōsen flanking him. He comments that the Espada seem to be enjoying themselves. Gin notices that Tōsen is being more pensive than usual and asks if something’s wrong. Kaname reveals that he is reflecting on the death of Wonderweiss. The Arrancar had an affection for him, and they shared a kinship of purity. Aizen responds that Wonderweiss was indeed pure — whittled down to a single purpose and endpoint. Once he had absorbed the flames of Ryūjin Jakka, there was no way he could contain or expel that energy without exploding. This was understood since his conception. Kaname could take satisfaction in knowing that the creature had accomplished what it was created for. </p><p>Gin offhandedly jokes that Captain Aizen has a funny way of comforting the bereaved. The comment earns icy side-eye from Aizen, who reminds his subordinates not to become distracted from how close they have come to reigning over all creation. He adds that they both should reflect on the paths they had lead before following him.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. THE WHITE INVASION: Memories of Nobody</h2></a>
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</p><p>• <b>The Rukongai / District 76 - 300 Years Before the White Invasion</b><br/>Rainwater and blood slosh down a gutter in one of the most unruly and impoverished districts of the Rukongai. A small child sits huddled against a ruin, blood-stained knees pressed to his chin as a patrol of Shinigami march past. They soldier have squashed an uprising. The neighborhood has been desolated, rainfall mingling with flames around the looted hovels. The young boy is shellshocked, rocking back and forth as the soldiers pay him no mind. A figure approaches and kneels down to his level. “Come now, Sōsuke.”<br/><br/>The child gradually looks up to see an older boy, a homely street urchin who has the appearance of a 12-year-old with ragged black hair and a gaunt face. He offers young Aizen his hand. “Let me get you somewhere safe.”<br/><br/>The Urchin leads young Aizen to an outskirt that looks like nothing more than a patch of mud in a barren field. With a wave of the elder boy’s hand, a concealment charm dissolves to reveal a rickety door in the ground. He pries it open and tells Aizen to climb in. The young boy, who has poor eyesight, fumbles his way down the steps. The urchin claps a reassuring hand on his shoulder and guides him down, leading him to a subterranean cellar full of other Rukongai children. The band of young urchins have been collecting spare weaponry lost amid the carnage of the rebellion.<br/><br/>Ryusei, a teenaged scavenger with a distinctive scar on his right eye, reports to the Urchin that they had pulled in their greatest haul of loot in recent memory. He casts a quizzical look at Aizen, asking who the runt is. “Our guest,” the Urchin responds.<br/><br/>He brings the child to a small nook, asking him if he likes eating. Aizen is surprised by the question, answering that he’s never tried it before. The older boy offers a thin apple slice, stating that he had gone through a lot of trouble to scrap up that provision. Aizen chews it slowly, astonished by the sweet flavor. Leaning back, the Urchin observes aloud that Aizen doesn’t appear to be from this district. The small child nods, admitting that he had been accompanying his father, the Fourth Seat of the First Division.<br/><br/>"I see," the Urchin replies. "What an honor to be in the presence of a child from the Seiretei. If you have a biological father, then that must mean you are from a noble house?"<br/><br/>Aizen takes another nibble at the apple slice, nodding yes. "But mother keeps sayin' we're not a big house," he clarifies.<br/><br/>The Urchin studies Aizen with a smile.<br/><br/>"You are going to be a handsome man some day, Sōsuke," the Urchin observes. "Tell me – is it normal for a Shinigami to bring their child into a war zone?"<br/><br/>Aizen shakes his head no, eyes welling with tears as he admits that his father had chastised him for being too cowardly and soft to ever grow up to be a worthy member of the Gotei. His father brought him along to see what the world looked outside the comfort of home, so he could see what warfare looks like. Aizen adds that shortly after they entered the village, he was kidnapped by a gang. His abductors were subsequently killed fighting the Shinigami, leaving him alone and lost. He misses his mother.<br/><br/>The Urchin listens sympathetically, responding that he was born without a father or mother. Instead, he was born here, in the deepest recesses of the Rukongai. This district is so wild that its children aren’t even considered for recruitment into the Seiretei. They are merely left to fend for themselves. Aizen’s eyes widen, commenting that he thinks that’s terrible. The Urchin closes his eyes and nods, resolving that it is his lot in life for having the misfortune of being reborn in such a forsaken place. Aizen asks the Urchin if the memories of his past life were happy at least. The older boy smiles at the naivety, answering that no one remembers who they were in the World of the Living. Whether it was blessed or tragic, abrupt or long, the Urchin has no memory of his past life. He only knows the Rukongai.<br/><br/>Aizen looks over to the other children and asks "Are they your friends?"<br/><br/>"They are my followers" the Urchin replies; he banded them together under the common cause of scrounging up whatever they could from this rotten existence. Aizen is impressed, commenting "They seem to admire you."<br/><br/>There is a protracted silence as the Urchin watches Aizen finish his first ever meal. He asks the young boy if he would like to see his mother again. Aizen’s eyes brighten up, nodding vigorously yes. The Urchin gives him a thin smile, revealing that he had overheard Shinigami asking around for him earlier that day. “Your name is Aizen Sōsuke, right?” The child nods. He is Sōsuke, son of Rusaboro and Rurichiyo Aizen.<br/><br/>The Urchin resolves that he will return Aizen to the Shinigami forces so that he can be reunited with his father. Aizen, overcome with relief, lunges forward and hugs the Urchin. The older boy is taken aback by the gesture, but slowly acquiesces and gives Sōsuke a reassuring pat on the back.<br/><br/>Later that evening, the scavenger children huddle together before the Urchin. He announces that some Shinigami from above ground seemed to suspect something was amiss about the entrance to their hideout earlier that day. He had drawn them away, but it had become clear that they must relocate somewhere else. He will stay behind and discretely draw the Shinigami to their location, where they will discover young Sōsuke and reunite him with his family.<br/><br/>One of the children protests, asking why they would help a Shinigami brat. The Urchin casts the naysayer an icy stare, prompting them to go pale and silent. After the meeting, the Urchin asks Aizen if he would like to venture outside with him and admire the sky. The young boy happily accepts.<br/><br/>The two boys rest on the ruined surface above, staring up at the stars as the district burns around them. Aizen admits that he rarely ventured outside in his childhood home, his mother allowing him to stay indoors and read. The Urchin asks what reading books is like. Aizen considers the question for a moment and answers that it makes the world seem bigger. The older boy silently reflects on this for a beat.<br/><br/>"You're really brave," Aizen adds. "Everyone seems to look up to you. How do you get brave like that?"<br/><br/>"You either appoint yourself the Master or suffer the reign of others," the Urchin replies as he sits up and admires the stars. He looks over to young Aizen with a smile. "You are capable of more bravery than you know, Sōsuke."<br/><br/>The young child’s eyes sparkle as he takes these words to heart. We cut from his starry-eyed expression to…<br/><br/>… him being brought before his father, the icily composed Rusaboro. The Shinigami escorting Aizen claps a hand on his shoulder, recalling how the lad had come crying to him amidst the mayhem. Rusaboro stares down coldly at his son for a beat, then tells him to come — the Division is returning to Soul Society.<br/><br/>• <b>The Seiretei - East Gate</b><br/>Aizen watches intently as the gates slowly open, revealing Soul Society within. He trudges closely behind his father as they follow a steady stream of Shinigami into the Seiretei. Suddenly, he halts, fists clenched as he hangs his head. Rusaboro stops and looks back at his son, telling him to come along. Aizen is silent for a long beat, then gazes up at his father with an expression that he hasn’t shown before: determination.<br/><br/>“Father,” Aizen says, his voice emotional. “From now on, I want to be brave.”<br/><br/>Rusaboro is taken aback, then gives a nod, commenting that their little misadventure seemed to have finally put some resolve into the boy.<br/><br/><b>• Soul Society / Great Spirits Library - 150 Years Before the White Invasion</b><br/>Aizen is now a strapping Shinigami, apprenticing as a clerk at the Great Spirits Library. He is pushing a cart of manuscripts through a hallway and turns a corner, running into Shinji Hirako. The cart stubs the 5th Division captain right in the shin, eliciting obscenities from him. Aizen profusely apologizes, but is rebuffed as Shinji yells at him to watch where he’s going. Aizen hurriedly scurries down the hall with the cart, yelling back a final apology. Captain Jūshirō Ukitake, the supervisor of the Great Spirits Library, joins Shinji and good-naturedly points out that the captain should have been paying attention, too. He asks Shinji what brings him in today. Shinji nurses his shin, mumbling that he needed some reference material to write up a report. Looking back at Aizen, he asks Ukitake who the clumsy Shinigami is.<br/><br/>“Aizen Sōsuke,” Ukitake answers. A very promising young man, with a high aptitude for scholarly work. He is the son of the late Rusaboro Aizen. Shinji is taken aback, recognizing the name: “Rusaboro, the First Division officer who set his own house on fire?” he asks. Ukitake nods affirmatively, recalling that terrible day — Rusaboro had slain his own wife, Rurichiyo, and then killed himself by setting the house ablaze. It occurred on Sōsuke's first day clerking at the archives, in fact. He learned of the murder-suicide while on the job.</p><p>
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</p><p>Ukitake adds that Aizen had grappled with the tragedy stoically, burying himself in research to cope. Shinji doesn’t comment, watching suspiciously as Aizen reaches the other end of the hallway and turns out of view.<br/><br/>Later that evening, Aizen wheels his cart before the gated section of the library, gazing through it with curiosity. He is startled when Shinji Hirako appears behind him, asking why he is so interested in the vault. Aizen wheels around, feigning confusion as he asks what the captain means. Shinji leans forward, scrutinizing the clerk as he notes aloud that entering the restricted archives is strictly prohibited — Captain Ukitake and Captain-Commander Yamamoto are the only Shinigami in all of Soul Society allowed access. Aizen stammers that he is aware — and that he couldn’t gain entry into the restricted section even if he tried. Shinji bluntly tells Aizen that he senses something “off” about him and that he best tread lightly.<br/><br/>The captain turns and strides away, only for Aizen to call after him — asking if he had ever wanted to read what’s in the restricted archives. Shinji pivots back with an exasperated glare, answering that he knows better than to pry into what’s above his purview. Aizen asks if he ever wondered why the restricted manuscripts were kept from even a captain such as himself. Isn’t he curious at all? Shinji glares at Aizen before flatly answering “No.” The captain leaves without another word.<br/><br/><b>• Soul Society - 140 Years Before the White Invasion</b><br/>Kaname Tōsen stands in the rain, proceeding over the burial of Kakyō — a dear friend. Beside him stands Gyokaku, the dearly departed’s former attendant. They and the gravedigger are the only attendees of the funeral. Kaname’s fist is clenched, his tears mingling with the rain.<br/><br/>"Kakyō deserved a proper funeral attended by the Gotei and Royal Families," Kaname grits. "It was the least they could have given her."<br/><br/>"Lady Kakyō's husband insisted on an anonymous burial, Kaname," replies Gyokaku, a gray-haired man weary with resignation.<br/><br/>"Because he wanted her forgotten beneath the ground before more questions could be asked!" Tōsen fires back.<br/><br/>The gravedigger pats the moist soil with his shovel before trudging off. Kaname begins to openly weep. He falls to his knees, pressing his hand to the mud.<br/><br/>"... Submit a formal request to Central 46, Gyokaku," the blind man whimpers. "Ask them to investigate her murder, I beg of you."<br/><br/>"As far as Central 46 is concerned, she was not murdered," the bereaved attendant sighs, hanging his head. "The record will attribute her death to illness."<br/><br/>Kaname punches the ground, crying out "If she cannot get justice, then Soul Society's laws are meaningless!"<br/><br/>Gyokaku looks down sympathetically at the blind man. He gazes up at the rain.<br/><br/>"They are indeed meaningless," the attendant admits. "After the things I've seen, I know that much."<br/><br/>With a heavy sigh, he tells Kaname to take care of himself and slinks off.<br/><br/>--<br/><br/>We cut to Tōsen standing before the gate of an enormous mansion — the household befitting one of the five great Royal Families. He is pounding at the gate, demanding an audience. Four Shinigami guards flash-step before him, one of them striking him in the head with the pommel of his Zanpakuto. Kaname crumples to the mud and is repeatedly kicked by the guards, one decrying that he will be flung into the Rukongai for his impudence.<br/><br/>The guards’ onslaught is interrupted when a figure strides up to them: it is Sōsuke Aizen. The Shinigami tells the guards that he will take charge of Kaname himself. The leader of the security team tells Aizen to fuck off, only to feel himself seized with a heavy weight. Aizen glares at him as he coolly asserts his Reiatsu, repeating that he will handle the troublemaker personally. Unnerved, the head guard tells the others to follow him back into the Royal grounds. Aizen helps Kaname up, offering to take him somewhere where they could chat.<br/><br/><em>We cut to a flashback</em> of Tōsen and Kakyō laying back on a hill at night. Gazing up at the night sky, she muses aloud about her dream of a world without bloodshed and how she would like to be instrumental in bringing it about. Kaname responds that she may have a greater chance of realizing that dream after she is married. He doesn’t see the sad expression on her face as she responds that she just might.<br/><br/><em>We leave the flashback</em> as Kaname finishes recounting the memory to Aizen, both of them sitting on the same hill. The rain has stopped.<br/><br/>"Kakyō sounds like a remarkable woman," Aizen says with the dreamy cadence of a good listener.<br/><br/>"She was..." Tōsen responds, voice taut in his throat. "But now she will be forgotten, her murder swept under the rug. Soul Society has known no finer person than her, and now it discards her like trash."<br/><br/>Aizen listens intently before rising up, gazing at the rainbow that has crested over the dispersing clouds.<br/><br/>"You either appoint yourself the Master or suffer the reign of others," Aizen says. "Allow me to impart some advice, Tōsen: enroll in Shin'ō Academy."<br/><br/>"Become a Shinigami?" Tōsen murmurs to himself, taken back. "And why would I want that?"<br/><br/>Aizen turns and beams at the blind man, the rainbow framing him like a halo.<br/><br/>"Because I sense great potential in you," the Shinigami says warmly. "You can go far within the Gotei. If you rise to prominence, you would be a valuable ally for me."<br/><br/>"A valuable ally?" Kaname repeats the words, sensing the implication.<br/><br/>"I need dependable allies to help me realize my vision, Tōsen," Aizen says, laying his offer down. "Serve me loyally and I will help you avenge Kakyō."<br/><br/>Kaname is silent for a beat, his fingers digging into the moist grass.<br/><br/>"Her murder has been abetted by the highest echelons of power," the blind man muses. "To avenge her would be to defy Soul Society."<br/><br/>"Help me realize my vision, Kaname," Aizen coos, his eyes gleaming, "and together we will be the ones to decide who holds power in Soul Society."<br/><br/><b>• The Rukongai / District 45 - 112 Years Before the White Invasion</b><br/>Gin Ichimaru, very much still a child, dashes through the woods, calling out for Rangiku. She’s been missing all day, and he senses that something is very wrong. Deep within the forest, he sees a glow in the distance. He silently snakes closer and peers out through a subterfuge of foliage. He sees Rangiku lying on the ground, unconscious while four teenage boys crowd around her. A fully-grown man with a Zanpakuto at his hip kneels down, extracting something from her.<br/><br/>Gin grips a branch and squeezes as he witnesses the Shinigami drawing out a sliver of light from Rangiku’s chest — right where her heart is located. The shard glimmers brilliantly, radiating an odd energy. Ichimaru’s eyes widen as he watches Rangiku convulse after the procedure. His grip on the branch tightens until he snaps it off. The Shinigami looks over in Gin’s direction and coolly asks for the four youngsters to kill him. Gin dashes back and runs away, but not before getting a good look at the Shinigami’s blonde hair and pale eyes. He easily evades the pursuers with his speed.<br/><br/>Several hours later, Gin is waiting at the edge of the forest. His heart seizes in his chest when a disoriented Rangiku emerges from the wood, stumbling from tree to tree. He dashes forward and supports her on his weight, asking if she’s alright. Rangiku doesn’t answer.<br/><br/>The next day, Gin visits Rangiku in her room. She is curled up in her bed, unresponsive. He asks if she remembers the name of her attackers. She says that she doesn’t remember what happened, shivering. Gin turns to head out, but freezes as Rangiku mumbles that she feels empty, as though her soul had been emptied out. He turns back to her, unable to find the words, then leaves.<br/><br/>Two of the teenagers who had jumped Rangiku stride down an alleyway, bantering about how they plan to spend their reward. They halt when they feel a presence behind them, turning around to see Gin. He is stained in blood and carrying a sack, a demented grin on his face. One of the teenagers demands he state his business. The young snake empties out the sack — the heads of their two co-conspirators spilling onto the ground. One of the teenagers charges forward, roaring that he’s gonna make the little creep pay. Gin dashes forward at frightening speed and lunges right on top of him, hacking at his head with a jagged sword. The remaining punk is horrified, stumbling back before falling. Before he can scramble back up, Gin is upon him, brandishing his blade.<br/><br/>The young snake muses out loud that he doesn’t have a Zanpakuto, so he just makes do with this scrap of metal. The punk begs for mercy as the dull tip presses to his throat. Gin demands the name of the man who had violated Rangiku. The terrified teenager sputters that the Shinigami called himself Hikaru Midorikawa. He had offered them a reward if they could bring Rangiku to him somewhere discrete — that’s all he knows. He confesses that he had no idea what the Shinigami did to her. Gin thanks the punk for his honesty before thrusting his sword down, stabbing again and again with maniacal fury in his eyes.<br/><br/><b>• Soul Society - 110 Years Before the White Invasion</b><br/>In the dead of night, Gin Ichimaru stands over the slain Hikaru Midorikawa — Third Seat of the Fifth Division. He grins with satisfaction, gazing down at the Shinigami’s lifeless pale eyes. His jubilation is interrupted when a voice calls out to him from behind — “What is your name?”<br/><br/>Gin looks back over his shoulder to see Aizen admiring his handiwork. The lieutenant praises his abilities, noting that the prodigy is even better than he had heard. Aizen asks again, already knowing the answer, for the blood-stained youngster to give his name.<br/><br/>“Gin,” he replies. “Gin Ichimaru.”<br/><br/><b>• Soul Society - 30 Years Before the White Invasion</b><br/>Aizen stands before a graduating class of the Shin’ō Academy, performing his water-based Shikai. It is exceptionally beautiful, making for an entertaining demonstration. Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Momo Hinamori are among the attendees, the latter absolutely starstruck. She adoringly tells Hitsugaya that Captain Aizen wields his blade like an artist. Fifth Division Lieutenant Gin Ichimaru discretely interrupts the demonstration, informing Aizen that the Captain-Commander has called for his presence. Aizen asks the audience to pardon his abrupt exit and leaves with Gin.<br/><br/>Yamamoto convenes a meeting with the Gotei 13 to announce that there are reports of mayhem brewing in the Rukongai District 76. There has been chatter of renewed rebellion. Aizen perks up at this and offers to personally venture to the district and address the unrest. 10th Division Captain Isshin Shiba notes with curiosity that Aizen seems unusually eager to take on such a grueling assignment. Aizen gives a sheepish smile, recalling that he had had a formative experience there as a child.<br/><br/>We cut to the Rukongai District 76. Aizen sheathes his blade, commending his division for putting an end to the rebellion so swiftly and without excessive bloodshed. He begs their pardon and asks to be left alone so he can take a moment of reflection. Gin watches the captain wander off into the slum, noting to himself that Captain Aizen had never been the sentimental type until now.<br/><br/>Aizen strides to a barren field — the same one where the Urchin had led him down to safety 260 years earlier. It is quiet, almost tranquil. He gazes at the soil until he senses someone behind him. He turns to see an emaciated wretch with a distinctive scar on his right eye. The resemblance is unmistakable — it’s Ryusei, one of the scavengers from the urchin’s gang. Aizen’s eyes widen as Ryusei stares at him in disbelief. “It’s… it’s you,” the now fully-grown man gasps. He takes a step forward, emboldened by certainty. He remembers Aizen — that boy from Soul Society who was brought down into the hideout the night before their leader disappeared. <em>It was never the same again</em>, Ryusei cries out. <em>We never recovered from losing him</em>.<br/><br/>Aizen, for the first time in the entire <b><em>Bleach</em></b> saga, is speechless — his eyes filled with something akin to regret. Ryusei comes closer, his words swelling with desperation. “What happened to him?” he asks in a frenzy, reaching out and grasping at Aizen’s robes. “What happened to –“<br/><br/>Aizen unsheathes his blade and runs it across Ryusei’s chest in one fluid motion. The Rukongai wretch falls back, dying. He gazes up at Aizen, confused, until his eyes widen with recognition. “It's you…” he rasps, his final word trailing off. Aizen watches the light fade from his eyes, then looks back at the patch of dirt. We close in on his face, <b>then cut to</b>…<br/><br/>…<b> a close-up</b> of young Aizen’s cherubic face as he watches the scavengers file out of the cellar, leaving him and the Urchin behind. Ryusei turns to his leader and asks if all this is worth the trouble of helping out a Soul Society kid. The Urchin brushes off the question and orders Ryusei to lead the others to the next location. He will be joining them soon enough. Ryusei gives a reluctant nod and wishes him good luck. Sōsuke cheerfully waves goodbye.<br/><br/>An hour has passed, Aizen absentmindedly futzing with one of the broken swords left behind. He swings it around, the Urchin watching him. Aizen excitedly says that he will be a mighty Shinigami when he grows up. He will make both his mother and father proud. He loses his balance when the sword proves too heavy, falling over. Laughing at his own silliness, he slowly ambles back up, asking if it’s time to go yet.<br/><br/>Aizen turns around to see the Urchin standing before him, a strange light emitting from his palm. Two lashes of Kido erupt from the ground and sling around the young boy’s wrists, bringing him to his knees. The child immediately panics, tears in his eyes as he begs the Urchin to stop. The older boy gazes down at him with a mixture of contempt and pity.<br/><br/>"The time has come for you to be brave, Sōsuke," the Urchin declares. With that, he plunges his fist into the boy’s chest.<br/><br/>Sōsuke looks down in shock as light snakes out from his chest and up the Urchin’s arm, slowly coating him. The Urchin emanates with a blinding light, his silhouette reforming. Aizen watches as the figure before him gradually morphs into his very likeness.<br/><br/>The Urchin withdraws his fist, studying it before giving a nod of satisfaction.<br/><br/>“I am self-taught,” the Urchin muses, now speaking in Aizen's voice. "I never had the luxury of squandering the largesse of noblemen fathers, Sōsuke. I have fended for myself here at the edge of the world, slowly honing my strength through instinct. First it began as little parlor tricks to avoid trouble. Then the ruses became more elaborate – improvising Kidōs to make stealing all the easier. I alone possessed the creativity and discipline to develop this spell: stealing the likeness of my prey."<br/><br/>The Urchin looks into Aizen's eyes and gives a maniacal grin.<br/><br/>"Whenever I borrowed a likeness, I would have to kill my mark after their visage outlived its use," the impostor continues. "As long as they lived, I would irreversibly wear their face. You, on the other hand, will have to live for a very, very long time, Aizen Sōsuke.”<br/><br/>Sōsuke’s eyes widen with horror as he begins to understand what is happening. The Urchin kicks at the chains of Kido binding the child to the ground, concluding that they ought to hold up indefinitely.<br/><br/>Aizen watches as his doppelgänger turns and heads for the staircase, explaining "I will leave you here for safekeeping."<br/><br/>The wailing boy begs to be freed, pleading with tears in his eyes.<br/><br/>The Urchin pauses as he reaches the base of the stairs, turning to look back at the pleading boy. He is unmoved.<br/><br/>"Your name is wasted on you, Aizen Sōsuke," the Urchin remarks coldly. "It will serve me better. I am destined to reign, and I can only do so from within Soul Society."<br/><br/>With that, the Urchin turns and walks up the steps. He reaches the cellar entrance and, without looking back, flicks a small Kido up at the ceiling. The blast explodes the tunnel, rubble crashing down and plugging the only means of escape. Aizen’s screams can be heard until the last stone lands, the young boy completely sealed off underground.<br/><br/>The Urchin emerges out onto the field, closing the hatch after him. He pauses for a beat, then swipes his hand. A concealment charm blankets over the doorway, hiding it from sight. The Urchin stands in the seemingly empty field, gazing at the ground. We hone in on a close-up of his new face until <b>we cut back to</b>…<br/><br/>... The captain known as "Sōsuke Aizen" gazing down at the expanse of dead grass and dirt. He looks back at Ryusei’s body, then slowly roves his eyes up at the sky — staring at the heavens. After a moment of reflection, he turns and strides away to rejoin his Division. We linger on the vacant field for a long, sickening beat.</p><p>
  
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. THE WHITE INVASION: The Lust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's the big showdown between the Arrancar and Shinigami. Who will win?</p>
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</p><p><b>• A Nihilistic Force Meets an Immovable Optimist<br/>Las Noches / The Seventh Tower - Top Level [Ichigo v. Ulquiorra - Part One]</b><br/>Ichigo nimbly dodges a sword slash from Ulquiorra, only to be knocked back by a kick. He lands against a pillar and cracks it, his breathing heavy. Ulquiorra’s vacant eyes scrutinize him.<br/><br/>"If what you insist is true and you are fighting for Inoue Orihime, then what is it that makes you so devoted to her?" Ulquiorra wonders aloud. "Could it be that sentiment you humans call <em>love</em>?"<br/><br/>Ichigo’s eyes narrow with rage.<br/><br/>"An empty motivation, born out of base lust," Ulquiorra adds derisively. "Yet you still sprinted here after her, delivering yourself to me. Your devotion served you poorly.<br/><br/>"Whatever connection you believe exists between yourself and Inoue Orihime is a lie, Ichigo," Ulquiorra concludes. "A lie you tell yourself to justify your existence as a Shinigami, as a human, and as a foolhardy child out of your depth. Your devotion to her is as empty as the 'heart' that she spoke of. You have only become become stronger because, deep down, you accept that these convictions are meaningless. You have become more like a Hollow."<br/><br/>Ichigo cracks a smile, suddenly understanding.<br/><br/>“You were in charge of her here in Las Noches, weren’t you?” he says, rising back to his full height. "She had an effect on you, I can tell. She's like that for everyone. Maybe I haven't changed at all, Ulquiorra. Maybe it's you. I can feel your self-doubt when our blades meet. It wasn't there when we first fought. I think, just maybe, Orihime made you more human."<br/><br/>Ulquiorra bristles at this, slamming his blade down into the tile with a crash.<br/><br/>“More like a human?” he repeats. "That is impossible."<br/><br/>He lunges at Ichigo. The Substitute-Shinigami dons his mask and meets the Espada’s strike.<br/><br/><b>• Kenny’s Just Getting Excited<br/>Las Noches - The Seventh Tower - Base Level [The Nakama vs. Yammy]</b><br/>Yammy Riyalgo’s hulking form dashes across the dunes with seismic weight, the Espada launching a barrage of Balas from his fists. They carpet-bomb the ground, erupting with volcanic force. Uryū Ishida repeatedly flash-steps back, dodging the firepower while summoning his bow. He aims a Heilig Pfeil and fires, the arrow hitting its mark and striking Yammy square in the right eye. The Arrancar roars with pain and rage, swiveling his head around before widening his mouth to charge an enormous Cero. Ishida gazes up with alarm — how is he going to dodge this?<br/><br/>Nelliel dashes between Yammy’s trunk-like legs, hacking at them with her sword. The Arrancar stumbles, his head swerving and firing his Cero in a lopsided direction. The beam cuts across a wide swath of desert and sets the sand ablaze, but none of the Nakama were in its path.<br/><br/>Nel zips out from behind Yammy and begins scaling his back. Yammy swings his tail — the clubbed end strikes Nel and sends her flying. Yammy curses Nelliel out as an "Espada washout," punching a Bala in her direction. It catches her midair, the energy ball carrying her away a considerable distance before crashing into a dune.<br/><br/>Rukia and Renji dash together around Yammy, trying to strategize a way to defeat him. The Espada clocks them and swings a fist. They both gasp as the Arrancar’s enormous knuckles bear down on them — only to be halted. Yammy’s brow furrows as he gazes down at the obstruction: it’s Chad, his <em>Brazo Derecha de Gigante</em> forming a shield, full thrusters firing flames from the ends like a rocket to help him repel the Espada’s fist. Yammy’s eyes grow bloodshot with indignation — a human can block his punch?! He exerts all of his weight and overpowers Sado, sending him and the two Shinigami flying back.<br/><br/>Yumichika watches the battle from a distance. Yachiru, Isane, and Ōmaeda stand beside him. The second seat observes with some understatement that they all seem outmatched by this Arrancar. With Captain Kenpachi out of commission, he can’t see how they can win. Yachiru gives her subordinate a rueful look, retorting that Kenny’s not down for the count: he’s just getting excited.<br/><br/>A mile back, Kenpachi rises up from the rubble of a destroyed tower. Gazing out at the mayhem unfolding in the distance, he lifts his sword, feels out the balance of the blade, and smiles. He pries off his eyepatch, concluding that Yammy will do just fine, and dashes forth.<br/><br/>Yammy cackles to himself as he beats at his own chest, ridiculing all of the intruders for thinking they could compete with him. His triumphant boast trails off when he sees a dot in the distance dashing towards him with alarming speed. It is Kenpachi; the captain is kicking up a wave of sand behind him as sprints forward. Yammy laughs uproariously, proclaiming that the Shinigami must be coming back for more punishment. He lunges his hand down at Kenpachi to snatch him up.<br/><br/>Kenpachi responds with a sword swing, slicing four of Yammy’s fingers clean off. The Arrancar roars in pain, eyes widening as the captain jumps up into the air. Kenpachi grasps the hilt of his blade with both hands and swings it down, the force of his Kendo strike cleaving up through Yammy’s arm — splitting it apart.<br/><br/>Yammy swings his tail at Kenpachi, only to have the club at the end of his appendage hacked clean off and crash into the sand below. Kenpachi lands atop the lump of flesh, grinning from ear to ear.<br/><br/>Reiatsu rising from his body like steam, Kenpachi excitedly announces that Yammy makes for a fat and easy target. Yammy bristles, bellowing that he will enjoy watching the Shinigami get torn apart.<br/><br/>The Espada sucks in air and then roars out a deafening sonic scream. Ishida intuits that this must be some sort of call to arms, only to feel the sand beneath him begin to shift. The Quincy leaps aside as an Adjuchas Arrancar shaped like an enormous centipede erupts from behind him.<br/><br/>Kenpachi gazes back and sees dozens of massive Arrancar sprouting across the horizon, trudging towards him. He grins.<br/><br/><b>• Those Who Do Not Fear Their Own Blade Are Not Fit To Wield It<br/>Fake Karakura Town [The Lieutenants vs. the Fracción]</b><br/>We focus on Shūhei Hisagi’s battle against Findorr. It plays out like it did in the Canon, ending with the lieutenant cleaving the fleeing Arrancar with <em>Kazeshini</em>.<br/><br/>Ggio struggles on the ground, his limbs weighted down. He feels Izuru’s Zanpakuto wrap around his neck, The Arrancar glares up at the Shinigami and curses him out for being underhanded. Izuru agrees that he is and urges the Ggio never to forgive him. With that, he beheads the Fracción member.<br/><br/>Luders Friegen slashes around in vain within the haze of Rangiku’s <em>Neko Rinbu</em>. The lieutenant flash-steps behind him and performs a Kido, piercing him through his midsection. The Arrancar plummets down from the sky and crashes into the ground. Rangiku reforms her Zanpakuto and boasts that the Shinigami aren’t fairing half bad. Her attention then turns as one of the Tenkai Ketchu pillars crumbles.<br/><br/>Poww has defeated the Tetsuzaemon and crushed his pillar. The Arrancar is promptly challenged and crushed by Sajin Komamura, just as it happened in the Canon. Iba apologizes to his captain for losing, only for the wolf to raise him back to his feet. Sajin urges his subordinate to never <em>lose</em> — you continue fighting until you can no longer move. You put everything on the line. Tetsuzaemon nods. “Yes, sir!”<br/><br/><b>• The Noble Shark<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Hitsugaya vs. Harribel]</b><br/>Tier Harribel notices the defeat of Barragan’s Fracción. Parrying back Hitsugaya, she calls up to Lord Aizen and points out that an unacceptable amount of Arrancar are dying. Aizen responds with a thin smile, telling Harribel that their survival is purely up to them — if they cannot fend off the Gotei 13, then what use will they be in the Royal Realm? Casting Harribel cold eyes, he concludes that it is up to her and her fellow Espada to put an end to this.<br/><br/>Harribel glares right back, then closes her eyes with resignation. Turning back to Hitsugaya, she points her blade down and intones “Destroy, Tiburōn!” The Espada is engulfed in a heart-shaped torrent of water, reemerging with scantily-placed armor and an enormous Pata blade engraved with gills. She juts her sword forward, drawing moisture from the ice Hitsguaya had layered throughout the battle. Emilou Apacci, Franceska Mila Rose, and Cyan Sung-Sun are all freed from their icy prisons as their leader formulates a concentration of water from the tip of her blade. The Fracción flash-step and flank Harribel as she gazes down imperiously at the Hitsugaya.<br/><br/>Tōshirō flings a <em>Hyōryū Senbi</em>, only for Harribel to fire <em>La Gota</em>. The Espada’s attack slices through the captain’s ice and strikes him square in the chest, cutting him deep. He is flung into the ground, indenting a crater into the concrete. He coughs up blood, clutching at his laceration.<br/><br/><b>• The Lonesome Wolf<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Shunsui &amp; Ukitake vs. Starrk]</b><br/>Starrk watches Harribel’s battle from afar, commenting that she sure fights more determinedly than he does. Lilynette swirls beside him, pointing out that Harribel is fighting to ensure that no more Arrancar die today — he should do the same. Starrk sighs, countering that their opponents aren’t taking them seriously, so why should they? Lilynette asserts that they ought to show the Shinigami who they are dealing with. This elicits a nod from Starrk, who places his hand atop Lilynette’s helmet, intoning “Kick About, <em>Los Lobos</em>!” Both of them erupt into a fireball of blue Reiatsu.<br/><br/>Shunsui and Ukitake watch Starrk emerge as a gunslinger. The Espada explains that he and Lilynette are actually one being and that joining together activates their Resurrección. A wolf flecked with flame peers from behind him — it is Lilynette given body as an extension of Starrk’s energy.<br/><br/>The next phase of their battle plays out similarly to how it did in the Canon, with Ukitake revealing his Shikai ability <em>Sōgyo no Kotowari</em>. Starrk remarks that these captains sure are impressive, but that he would rather be battling their Bankai. Ukitake flash-steps beside Shunsui, commenting that Starrk appears to be too laidback to make much use of his strength. Shunsui’s eyes narrow as he admits that he is worried about what happens if the Primera Espada begins to take things seriously.<br/><br/>—<br/><b>• Royal Bummer<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Byakuya vs. Barragan]</b><br/>Byakuya is being healed by a 4th Division squadron lead by Hanatarō Yamada. The captain waits patiently while they attempt to bring feeling back to his arm. After much effort, Hanatarō admits with horror that there’s nothing they can do — the limb appears to be dead. Byakuya grimaces, understanding that Barragan’s powers were no mere boast.<br/><br/>Suddenly, the Segunda Espada flash-steps before them. Casting a withering glare at the healers, Barragan asks Byakuya if he has given up. It’s only natural — he is battling the King of Hueco Mundo, after all.<br/><br/>Byakuya, after a beat, wonders aloud how Barragan qualifies as a king.<br/><br/>“You serve under Aizen, do you not?” Byakuya asks. “And you are not even the highest-ranking Arrancar.” Byakuya asks how Barragan can claim the title of King when he is merely a <em>subordinate</em>.<br/><br/>Barragan’s eyes narrow, none too pleased. The Espada hold his axe downwards, hissing out “Rot, <em>Arrogante</em>!” Byakuya advises the healers to all flee as Barragan is cloaked in a black mist. The 4th Division members are all frozen in horror as Barragan emerges from the plumes, now a skeleton capped with a crown. The Espada extends his bony fingers, launching a surge of Respira at the Shinigami. Byakuya grabs Hanatarō by the sash of his robes and dashes away, telling the other two healers to “Run!”<br/><br/>The healers give chase, but are caught by the fast-moving mist. Byakuya and Hanatarō look back in horror as the two Shinigami disintegrate and crumble into dust. Byakuya hurls Hanatarō away from him, meeting Respira head on and throwing up a wall of Kido. The mist splashes against it, quickly disintegrating the shield. Byakuya, realizing that he is wholly outmatched, flash-steps away.<br/><br/><b>• Trash!<br/>Las Noches / Seventh Tower - Base Level [Kenpachi and Suí-Fēng vs. Yammy]</b><br/>Kenpachi runs up the spine of a humongous Arrancar, stabbing his sword deep into the base of its skull. The slain behemoth crashes down, Kenpachi launching off from it to slash at another beast. Yammy charges a Cero between his jaws, firing it at Kenpachi as the captain is busied with the Arrancar. Kenpachi swerves around to cleave the blast in half, diverging lines of devastation forking behind him.<br/><br/>Suí-Fēng launches out from the Seventh Tower, diving down with her Shikai released to strike at Yammy. The Arrancar clocks her and swings around, catching her in his fist. Suí-Fēng screams in agony as the behemoth crushes her in his grip. The Espada concludes that she is trash and flings her to the ground. Kenpachi catches her, asking if she’s alright. Grimacing, she responds that she’s fine, but all of her bones are now broken.<br/><br/>Ūryu spins around, firing arrows at the wild Arrancar charging at him. He readies another shot, only to feel a devastating twinge — he has exhausted <em>Ransōtengai</em>. The Quincy falls flat on his back, completely paralyzed from the neck down as three lion-sized Arrancar draw near. He braces himself for death, only for Chad to land before him, fending the beasts back. Chad looks down at Ishida, asserting that he will protect him.<br/><br/>Rukia gets back to her feet, pulling Renji up with her. Nelliel dashes before them, urging Rukia to hop on her back: there’s an opening for them to infiltrate the Seventh Tower and help Ichigo. Rukia obliges and nearly loses her lunch as Nelliel blasts off with awesome speed, bypassing a distracted Yammy and scaling the face of the obelisk.<br/><br/><b>• Do Not Let Your Guard Down for an Instant<br/>Las Noches / Seventh Tower - Top Level [Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra]</b><br/>Ichigo cracks Ulquiorra’s blade with a strike powered by his Visored powers. The Espada takes notice, concluding that the Substitute Shinigami has exceeded expectations. The Espada relocates the battle to the upper layer of Las Noches, Ichigo following. Ulquiorra releases his Resurrección, declaring “<em>Murciélago!</em>” and transforming into a winged beast with a long, lashing tail [note: Ulquiorra does not have Segunda Etapa like he did in the Canon, but that form has replaced his traditional Resurrección].<br/><br/>The fight proceeds similarly to how it did in the Canon: Ulquiorra completely trounces Ichigo. He flings the Substitute Shinigami into a pillar, announcing that it is useless to resist. Ichigo struggles to his knees, resolving that he has to defeat Ulquiorra because he has no other choice.<br/><br/>The Espada gazes down at Ichigo passively.<br/><br/>"You asked me if I was Orihime Inoue's overseer here in Las Noches," the Espada recalls. "Indeed I was, but she was never my prime concern. From the beginning, my primary responsibility has been you.”<br/><br/>"What the hell does that mean?" Ichigo fires back with alarm.<br/><br/>"Lord Aizen tasked me with bringing out your potential," Ulquiorra replies. "Since our first meeting, my mission has been to ensure that you are useful to him when the time comes."<br/><br/>"But you tried to kill me." Ichigo stammers with disbelief, clutching at his right breast. "You left me for dead."<br/><br/>"And Lord Aizen promptly granted Inoue Orihime permission to roam Las Noches," Uqluiorrra counters. "We knew that she would seek you out and heal your wounds. She mended your body, but she did not know to remove the Reiatsu that I placed in your chest."<br/><br/><em>We briefly glimpse when Ulquiorra impaled his hand through Ichigo's chest</em>. <em>We briefly cut to Ichigo donning his Visored mask and clashing with a released Grimmjow.</em><br/><br/>"It's not a coincidence that your Hollowfication grew stronger after our first skirmish," Ulquiorra continues. "I intentionally provoked the Hollow inside of you, and it has been gradually releasing more power. Your progression in Hueco Mundo has all fallen within the parameters of Lord Aizen's design."<br/><br/>Ichigo is dumbstruck for a beat.<br/><br/>"Why... would Aizen want me stronger?" he asks, genuinely at a loss.<br/><br/>"You have been integral to Lord Aizen's vision for quite some time, Kurosaki Ichigo," Ulquiorra Cifer proclaims. "That is the only reason why you have made it this far."<br/><br/>Ichigo lashes out with his blade, only for his wrist to be pinned to the ground by Ulquiorra’s foot.<br/><br/>"It is not a matter of how strong you become," Ulquiorra continues, his tail wrapping around Ichigo's neck. "What matters is what you become."<br/><br/>Ulquiorra's tail lifts Ichigo up off his feet. He studies the boy's despairing eyes and recognizes that he doesn't understand what he's being told.<br/><br/>"It doesn't matter," Ulquiorra concludes. "Your comprehension is not necessary."<br/><br/>Suddenly, there is an explosion at the entrance to the upper realm. Ulquiorra looks down, recognizing Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck and Rukia Kuchiki as they stare up at him from the base of the castle.<br/><br/>"Pay close attention," Ulquiorra announces as he charges a Cero Obscuras against Ichigo's chest. "This is the last that either of you will see Kurosaki Ichigo alive."<br/><br/>Rukia’s eyes widen as Ulquiorra fires. She cries out in horror.<br/><br/>Ulquiorra tosses Ichigo’s limp body from the dome, watching him crash into the ground below. The Espada concludes that Ichigo’s injury ought to be enough to bring out “Lord Aizen’s prize.”<br/><br/>Nelliel charges up the castle and launches at Ulquiorra, only for him to parry her strike with a flick of his tail. She is in her released state, lance in hand and tears streaming down her furious eyes<br/><br/>"I never expected to see you again, Nelliel Tu Odelschwank," Ulquiorra remarks. "But your allegiance to Kurosaki is hardly surprising."<br/><br/>Nelliel charges at him again, ferocious in her grief.<br/><br/><b>• I Dreamed of You<br/>The Rukongai - Real Karakura Town</b><br/>Class is in session at Karakura High School. The gang gossips about the supposed chemical spill while Tatsuki gazes out the window, certain that the sky looks very odd today. She catches a figure running down the street — it’s Orihime. Shocked, Tatsuki leaps from her desk and dashes out of the class, her teacher calling after her. Kon, inhabiting Ichigo’s Gigai, watches Tatuski leave with some nervousness.<br/><br/>Orihime, conspicuous in her Arrancar garb, heads for Urahara’s shop. She is intercepted by two Shinigami: Zennosuke Kurumadani and Eikichirō Sadō. The patrolman of Karakura Town chides Orihime for running about; their objective is to maintain calm amongst the public.<br/><br/>Inoue emphasizes with urgency that she needs to speak with Urahara Kisuke — he is the only person who may be able to rescue Ichigo and the others from Hueco Mundo. Eikichirō takes her input seriously, recounting how he owes a debt of gratitude to Ichigo for fending off Grand Fisher.<br/><br/>Orihime clasps her hands together and puts on a sunny face, trying to smooth-talk the two Shinigami. She asserts that Ichigo and the others would be very helpful to have around should Aizen’s army reach Karakura Town. Eikichirō grimaces, telling Orihime that if Aizen’s forces defeat the Gotei 13 and reach Karakura, then the war is already over.<br/><br/>“Hey, you!" an irate voice calls out from behind Orihime, spooking the two Shinigami.<br/><br/>Orihime turns and sees Tatsuki standing before her, breathing heavily after sprinting.<br/><br/>“Where have you been?” Tatsuki sternly asks. There is a long, uncertain silence shared between the two, and then Tatsuki rushes forward to give Orihime a tight embrace.<br/><br/>"The night that you disappeared," Tatsuki whispers into Orihime's ear. "I dreamed of you."<br/><br/>Orihime eyes well with tears and she returns Tatsuki's hug. She cries out that so much has happened. Tatsuki releases her embrace, her sternness resuming.<br/><br/>"Orihime, you're going to tell me what's going on," Tatsuki says. "You're going to tell me everything, right <em>now</em>."<br/><br/><b>• Bringing Out the Big Gun<br/>Las Noches / The Seventh Tower - Base Level [Kenpachi and Suí-Fēng vs. Yammy]</b><br/>Kenpachi dashes around Yammy, the irate Espada punching a Bala right at him. Kenpachi swats at the energy blast with his sword, knocking it right back at Yammy’s mouth. The Arrancar yelps as several of his teeth shatter upon impact. He is taking a lot of punishment.<br/><br/>Kenpachi situates himself and readies to swing a Kendo — reflecting on how the Captain-Commander had forced him to study the art years ago. He is ambushed from the side by an Arrancar; he pivots and bifurcates the Adjuchas with his slash. Yammy seizes on the momentary distraction and brings his fist down onto Kenpachi. The captain blocks the strike with his sword, but steadily seeps into the ground. Yammy exerts his full weight until he has Kenpachi waist-deep into the sand, then lets fly a blitz of thundering punches. The Arrancar gleefully brings his remaining arm down in thudding strikes against Kenpachi, battering him.<br/><br/>Yachiru’s eyes widen as she sees a geyser of sand erupt from Yammy’s brutal beatdown. She’s truly worried for Kenny right now.<br/><br/>Suí-Fēng, badly hurt, is being carried by Ōmaeda. She tugs at his ear and orders him to situate her on the ground and to hold her steady. The lieutenant complies, wondering if this means that the captain is going to bring out the big gun. She nods yes; despite how much she hates its inelegance, the current threat calls for it. Furrowing her brow, the injured captain intones “Ban… Kai!”<br/><br/>Yammy cackles as he pummels Kenpachi deep down into the ground, like hammering a nail. Suí-Fēng takes aim at him, a rocket affixed to her arm: <em>Jakuhō Raikōben</em>. She fires, the rocket zipping straight for Yammy.<br/><br/>The Espada spots the incoming missile when it is within 50 yards of him. Alarmed, he pivots and punches a Bala at the projectile — his blast striking and detonating it before it can reach him. The rocket explodes, unleashing a fireball that engulfs Yammy and Kenpachi while all the remaining Arrancar on the battlefield are obliterated. Ūryu, unable to move, is lifted off the ground and flung far away, Chad carried along with him. Ōmaeda cries out in horror as a tidal wave of sand crests right on top of him and Suí-Fēng, burying them both.<br/><br/><b>• Ichigo is Dead, Long Live the Hell Knight<br/>Las Noches / Upper Realm [Nelliel vs. Ulquiorra]</b><br/>Rukia runs towards Ichigo, rubble crashing around her as Nelliel and Ulquiorra battle from above. She reaches his body, cradles him up, and begs him to draw breath. He has a smoking hole in his chest and absolutely no light in his eyes. Rukia knows he is dead, the world halting around her. The memory of Ichigo saving her on Sōkyoku Hill flashes through her mind. She remembers him turning to her, giving a confident smile.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Rukia weeps as she squeezes Ichigo's lifeless body close to her. "I couldn't save you in return."<br/><br/>Nelliel is knocked back, her lance cut in half and a deep laceration cut into her shoulder. Ulquiorra gazes at her with chilly dispassion.<br/><br/>"You have too much attachment to these humans," the Espada states.<br/><br/>"You could never understand, Ulquiorra," Nelliel retorts. "You never were one."<br/><br/>Ulquiorra acknowledges that this is true. He is the only member of the Espada to originate from Hueco Mundo. Born a Vasto Lorde.<br/><br/>"I am unclouded. Never have I harbored thousands of wayward souls," Ulquiorra says. "In fact, I never possessed a heart to begin with. I am pure Hollow: completely empty and disinterested in the purpose of my existence."<br/><br/>Nel is silent for a beat.<br/><br/>"I pity you," she confesses. "I will cry for you when you die, Ulquiorra."<br/><br/>Ulquiorra's tail lashes at the ground, cracking it. He looks confused.<br/><br/>"Your sentiment is wasted on me," he responds, readying to pounce again. "There is nothing for you to even pity."<br/><br/>Nelliel casts her destroyed lance aside and assumes a defensive guard, roaring "I swear upon Lord Aizen's life that I will avenge Ichigo!"<br/><br/>Ulquiorra passively watches her swear her oath before replying "Kurosaki Ichigo will be back up on his feet shortly."<br/><br/>Nel gives Ulquiorro a quizzical look.<br/><br/>"I did kill the boy, but his true face will soon reveal itself," Ulquiorra explains. "Ichigo has an inner Hollow that reacts to threats against its host. I made sure to stimulate it after our first engagement. Now, with Ichigo's life snuffed out, the Hollow will come forth and defend its vessel."<br/><br/>Nel is horrified, looking down from the castle to see Rukia nursing Ichigo’s limp body.<br/><br/>“Rukia!" Nel cries out. "Get away from him!”<br/><br/>Rukia looks up, confused and grieving, only for a surge of <em>white</em> to erupt from Ichigo’s hollowed-out chest. Rukia dashes back, in shock as she watches Ichigo’s corpse being overtaken by the viscous Hollow essence. He suddenly convulses and erupts into a pillar of light that extends up into the sky.<br/><br/>Rukia looks on in shock as a horned beast steps out from the torrent of Reiatsu. We have seen its likeness before — it resembles the creature that Isshin had encountered 18 years ago. We shall call it <em>White</em>.<br/><br/>Ulquiorra gazes down at the monstrosity.<br/><br/>"Lord Aizen will be pleased," he remarks.<br/><br/>Suddenly, White flash-steps beside Ulquiorra and hacks his left arm clean off. Ulquiorra’s eyes widen with surprise -- the creature was not supposed to be this strong.<br/><br/><b>• Karakura Crisis<br/>Fake Karakura Town [Shunsui &amp; Ukitake vs. Starrk]</b><br/>Starrk lackadaisically fires a Cero from one of his pistols. Shinji nimbly dodges the blast, wondering aloud what would happen if Starrk got creative with his shots. The Espada retorts that the battle would be over very quickly, then. He demands to see a Bankai and fires another shot. This time, Ukitake flash-steps right into the trajectory of the blast and reflects it back with <em>Sōgyo no Kotowari</em>. Starrk is caught off guard, dodging his own Cero at the last possible second.<br/><br/>The Espada looks back to Ukitake and sees Aizen glaring at him in the far distance, eyes glinting with disapproval. Starrk, taken aback, tells Lilynette that they are at risk of losing Lord Aizen’s confidence. Lilynette swirls around him, bearing her fangs as she responds that they must fight harder than they ever have before. He looks to her, agreeing that they ought to start taking this war seriously.<br/><br/>Lilynette howls, bristling with light. Shunsui and Ukitake stand together, watching with curiosity as the glowing canine sprouts three identical wolves. Starrk tells the captains that he and Lilynette can split their soul into new pieces. Therefore, Lilynette can replicate herself.<br/><br/>The wolf howls as her clones dash forth. Shunsui and Ukitake brace themselves, but are surprised when the three beasts bypass them and scatter in different directions.<br/><br/>Both captains’ expressions drop as they simultaneously realize the wolves’ target.<br/><br/>“They’re heading for the pillars!” Shunsui cries out. Before they can give chase, Starrk flash-steps above them, firing Ceros from both of his pistols. Shunsui and Ukitake are engulfed by the seismic energy beams and launched down in forking directions. Both land in the Fake Karakura streets, the Ceros erupting with volcanic force and obliterating the surrounding buildings.<br/><br/>Hisagi, Kira, and Matsumoto each see a wolf coming towards them. The three lieutenants lunge at the attackers, only for the wolves to nimbly dodge all three of them, each latching onto a pillar. They explode upon impact, blowing the remaining Tenkai Ketchu to smithereens.<br/><br/>The barrier has been destroyed.<br/><br/>This grabs the attention of everyone on the battlefield. Tōshiro, Byakuya, Komamura, Unohana, and Sasakibe all look up with alarm as they watch the sky above them begin to shift. Sasakibe and Unohana both grab Captain-Commander Yamamoto and jump out from the subterranean crater, Unohana crying out for everyone to brace themselves.<br/><br/>Aizen cracks a smile as he watches the Shinigami panic. He casts an approving look towards Starrk, who reacts by running his hand over Lilynette’s fiery fur. “We have done well.”<br/><br/>Orihime and Tatsuki are running towards Urahara’s Shop together, with Zennosuke and Eikichirō following. Tatsuki tries to get it straight: Urahara is one of these “Shinigami,” but he’s been living here in Karakura Town all this time? Orihime gives an affirmative nod, insisting that he’ll know what to do. Suddenly, everyone halts as they feel the air ripple around them. Tatsuki asks what’s happening while Eikichirō’s face turns grave. “We’re fucked,” he observes.<br/><br/>Suddenly, the sky above them changes as Karakura Town is warped back to the World of the Living. All the townspeople sense a disturbance, everyone becoming disoriented. Several vehicles begin to corrode on the main road, their drivers screaming as they are reduced to ash after unwittingly driving straight into Respira.<br/><br/>Barragan watches from above, remarking that all the mindless ants are now scurrying. Aizen calls down to the Hollow King, reminding him that he needs the majority of the humans alive. Eyes narrowing, Aizen advises that Barragan use his Respira “conservatively.” The Segunda Etapa bristles but ultimately relents, contracting the output of his deadly aura. He sprouts his battle axe seemingly from thin air, pledging to track down and hack Byakuya Kuchiki to bits.<br/><br/>Tōshirō Hitsugaya, bleeding profusely from his chest, looks around at all the humans below him, noting with alarm that the tide of battle is turning fast. His attention snaps back as Apacci, Mila Rose, and Cyan all attack with him coordinated strikes. The young captain’s injury is hindering his performance; he is struggling not to be overwhelmed by the Fracciōn. Their battle emits shockwaves that crack surrounding buildings, prompting unaware townspeople to panic and scatter. The humans cannot see the spirits, but they can feel and witness the havoc they are leaving in their wake -- presuming that it’s an earthquake.<br/><br/>Zennosuke and Eikichirō both agree to enact Plan B: Instead of trying to maintain normalcy, they must evacuate the city.<br/><br/>A driver at the border of town juts her thumb back at the commotion behind her, telling the Mod Soul Police that she’ll take her chances with the chemical spill. Several drivers behind her honk in agreement.<br/><br/>Aizen eyes the humans broaching the border of town, noting with disapproval that they will all need to stick around. The Lord of Hollows extends his palm up to the sky, rolling off an incantation from his silver tongue. Walls of Kido erupt from the ground, encircling Karakura Town like a fortress. One of the Mod Souls turns with alarm and presses their arm against the plasmic prison — it doesn’t budge. Everyone in the town is now trapped within its borders.<br/><br/>Aizen concludes that the encasement of Kido ought to keep all of their guests from escaping. Kaname listens as the screams of panic from the townspeople begin to mount. “Forgive us,” he says, head bowed.<br/><br/>Aizen decides that now is the time for the Hooleer to spit out some more Menos to clean up the lieutenants. The behemoth lumbers behind him, birthing scores of Gillian-class Menos. The enormous Hollows begin wading towards Rangiku, Hisagi, Tetsuzaemon, and Kira. Suddenly, the first wave is dispatched by unseen attackers. Aizen cocks an eyebrow as five warriors flash-step before him. They are Shinji Hirako, Hiyori Sarugaki, Love Aikawa, Kensei Muguruma, and Lisa Yadōmaru.<br/><br/>Shinji tips his cap, commenting that it’s been a long time. “Eh, Aizen?”<br/><br/><b>• Smile, You Son of a B!+#@<br/>Las Noches / The Seventh Tower - Base [Kenpachi and Suí-Fēng vs. Yammy]</b><br/>A mushroom cloud rises from where <em>Jakuhō Raikōben</em> had detonated. Everything beyond it is blanketed in sand, the landscape pristine. Yumichika sprouts from a dune and climbs out, followed by Renji, Isane, and Yachiru. Ōmaeda thrusts Suí-Fēng up from the sand and shortly follows, gasping for air. Chad emerges several yards behind, carrying Ūryu in his arms. The Nakama all peer at the cloud of smoke ahead, unsure of whether the blast had taken out Yammy — or Captain Kenpachi.<br/><br/>Suddenly, a <em>Bala</em> cuts through the haze, moving so fast it catches Chad off guard and hits him square on. He and Ūryu are knocked back, both unconscious.<br/><br/>Yammy gazes out through the plumes of smoke, merely singed and gripping Kenpachi in his fist. Roaring an obscenity, he hurls the captain towards the Nakama. Kenpachi skids across the dunes, his robes in tatters and body bloody. He lands before the Nakama.<br/><br/>"This Arrancar is a real pain in the ass," Kenpachi grumbles as he hoists himself up.<br/><br/>"If only Jakuhō Raikōben had reached him," Isane laments. "It would have brought him down."<br/><br/>Kenpachi gazes up at Yammy for a beat, then turns back to Suí-Fēng.<br/><br/>"Oy, Captain Suí-Fēng," he growls. "I've got an idea if you're up for some teamwork."<br/><br/>The 2nd Division captain shoots him an incredulous look, but begrudgingly grumbles "Fine."<br/><br/>"Oy, fire mane," Kenpachi calls over to Renji. "We're gonna need your help, too."<br/><br/>Yammy huffs and puffs, talking to himself as his rage comes to a boil. He has had enough of being humiliated by this trash. <a class="link link--external" href="https://youtu.be/OG8GxzJTBck">The Arrancar spots Kenpachi dashing towards him again, carrying Suí-Fēng in his arms</a>. Eyes bulging, Yammy promises to give the Shinigami "One last thrashing." To his surprise, Kenpachi stampedes right past him, running underneath his legs. Yammy tries to follow the captain’s trajectory, but his attention is interrupted when a blast hits him in the chest. Yammy looks forward and sees Renji standing before him, the lieutenant wielding Hihiō Zabimaru.<br/><br/>"That attack was pathetic, Shinigami!" Yammy seethes, heaving with anger. "I'm sick of all this trash. Time to blow you all from the map."<br/><br/>The Espada widens his jaws, charging a <em>Gran Rey Cero </em>in his throat.<br/><br/>"Whatever you have in mind, Captain Kenpachi," Renji gulps, "you need to do it fast."<br/><br/>Kenpachi reaches the tower and begins sprinting up its face, furiously running as he scales the tremendous height.<br/><br/>"Make sure to throw me accurately!" Suí-Fēng barks at him. "I can only do this one more time!"<br/><br/>Kenpachi sprints until he is level with Yammy’s shoulder blades. He pivots and throws Suí-Fēng like a javelin. The 2nd Division captain flies headfirst into the back of Yammy’s hollow hole.<br/><br/>Yammy readies to fire his Cero, but senses something passing through him. He looks down to see Suí-Fēng launch out from the chasm in his chest — with a reloaded Jakuhō Raikōben aimed directly at his face. The Décima Espada’s eyes widen.<br/><br/>"Smile," Suí-Fēng grins. She launches her rocket at point-blank range.<br/><br/>The missile smashes through Yammy's jaw and connects with the Gran Rey Cero. There is a blinding flash and then a seismic explosion, the shockwave propelling Suí-Fēng headlong into the dunes.<br/><br/>Ōmaeda cries out as he sees his captain plummeting down towards him. The lieutenant frantically positions himself and catches her limp body, her velocity knocking him flat on his ass. Meanwhile, the shockwave of Jakuhō Raikōben blasts away the foundation of the Seventh Tower. The obelisk begins to cave in on itself.<br/><br/>Yammy is dead, his head blown clear off. The Arrancar’s massive body crashes back with a thundering slam, his remains swiftly buried by the collapsing tower’s piling rubble.<br/><br/>Ōmaeda is on the verge of tears as he shakes Suí-Fēng’s unresponsive body, begging her to show a sign of life. The captain gives him the weakest of slaps across the face before passing out. Ōmaeda bawls with relief.<br/><br/><b>• The Hell Knight Rises<br/>Las Noches - Upper Realm [White vs. Ulquiorra]</b><br/>Ulquiorra and White’s battle proceeds similarly to how it did in the Canon, although it is less one-sided and more akin to the <em><b>Hellverse</b></em> iteration. Ulquiorra demonstrates his high-speed regeneration and <em>Lanza del Relámpago</em> while White fights as a complete berserker. The Cuarta Espada attempts to defeat the creature through strategy, but is repeatedly outflanked by brute strength.<br/><br/>Ulquiorra reflects on how his Resurrección was supposed to be able to restrain this beast. He wonders if Lord Aizen knew that he would be outmatched by White. <em>If this is true</em>, Ulquiorra thinks to himself, then Lord Aizen had intentionally consigned him to death and Hueco Mundo to devastation. The Espada doesn’t have time to ponder the possibility as he struggles to keep up with his opponent.<br/><br/>The battle has the scale of two titans wrestling for dominance, obliterating everything in their wake.<br/><br/>White overpowers Ulquiorra, pinning him down and firing a Cero at point-blank range. As the smoke clears, Rukia approaches the creature and grips him by the wrist. "That’s enough, Ichigo," she says firmly, hoping that her friend is still conscious and fighting for sentient control. Passionately, she calls on Ichigo to remember who he is.<br/><br/>Nelliel, watching from a distance, sees White’s body language and yells for Rukia to flee. The monstrosity impales Tensa Zangetsu through Rukia’s gut and throws her back. In shock, Rukia wonders to herself if Ichigo truly did die and this creature is all that is left. Nelliel flash-steps before her, telling White that he must back down and accept that he has already won. The beast responds by charging another Cero, readying to unleash it against its two supposed allies. Nel closes her eyes in acceptance while Rukia watches with horror as White readies to obliterate them both. They are saved when Ulquiorra flash-steps behind White and shears off one of his horns, shattering the Hollow’s form.<br/><br/>Ichigo regains consciousness, horrified to see the wound he unwittingly inflicted on Rukia. Distraught, he begs Ulquiorra to cut off his arm and leg to make their battle evenly matched. The Espada, concluding that Ichigo is too dangerous for Las Noches’ future to keep alive, agrees to honor the boy’s request -- even if doing so would violate Lord Aizen’s orders. He readies to comply, but halts when he suddenly begins to disintegrate.<br/><br/>Ichigo cries out that this is not how he wanted to win. Ulquiorra, taken aback by Ichigo’s commitment to honor, comments that the boy had defied expectations to the very end. The dying Vasto Lorde turns his gaze to Nelliel, who smiles at him with a melancholy warmth.<br/><br/>"Will you cry for me, Nelliel?" Ulquiorra asks.<br/><br/>She nods, a tear streaking down her cheek.<br/><br/>“Of course I will.”<br/><br/>Ulquiorra recollects when Orihime told him of the “heart.” We realize that her words were more impactful for him than he had previously let on. The Espada reaches his hand out to Nel. She reciprocates, only for her touch to spur the disintegration of his claw. Ulquiorra spends his final moments realizing that the “heart” had always existed here: in the palm of his hand.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. THE WHITE INVASION: The Three Blades</h2></a>
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</p><p><b>• Hunkering Down</b><br/><b>Karakura Town - Karakura High School</b><br/>Students press their faces against the classroom window, witnessing what looks like one long earthquake taking place outside. Buildings crack and the ground trembles. Chizuru, Keigo, and Mizuiro all wonder if it’s related to the chemical spill.<br/><br/>Kon, who knows what’s up, is sweating in the corner. Keigo turns to him, nervously asking what they should do. Kon takes a big gulp — this is his time to shine. Stepping atop his desk, the mod soul demands that everyone listen up — there is a natural disaster afoot, so they should to go to Urahara Kisuke’s shop and use his bunker.<br/><br/>The class teacher tells “Ichigo” to sit down. The school has a bomb shelter— it is nonsensical for anyone to leave the premises. Kon bashfully sits back down. The class begins filing out to the basement, but Chizuru grabs her friends and tells them they must escape the premises. “Tatsuki is out there,” Chizuru points out. They should go find her and then all go to Urahara’s Shop, like “Ichigo” suggested. Kon, who is now thinking the school’s bomb shelter sounds pretty safe, begrudgingly agrees to tag along.<br/><br/><b>• It’s Raining Hooleer<br/>Karakura Town (Continued)</b><br/>Aizen stares down the Visoreds, asking where they have been lurking this whole time. Shinji recounts how they waited in the real Karakura Town in case the Tenkai Ketchu fell. “The cavalry has arrived.”<br/><br/>Aizen scoffs, dismissing the new challengers as failed experiments. Hiyori nearly pops a blood vessel at the insult, swearing revenge for Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi and Mashiro Kuna.<br/><br/>Aizen asks the Hooleer to produce a fresh crop of Menos to take on the interlopers. Kensei Muguruma, donning his mask, flash-steps before the gelatinous behemoth and kicks it with a pulverizing flex of Hakuda. The creature explodes into a wave of viscera, raining guts down upon unsuspecting townspeople. Gin notices a spot of the Hooleer’s blood on his garb, expressing disgust.<br/><br/>Kensei flash-steps back to the group, his mask phasing off. Aizen arches a brow in mild admiration, remarking that it seems the Visored have utilized their deformity for a modest power-up. “Bully for you,” he concedes.<br/><br/>Shinji tells his comrades to help wherever they can: he will handle Aizen for now. The rest of the Visoreds dash off to battle the Espada, leaving Hirako in a stare off against the Lord of Hollows.<br/><br/>Aizen orders Tōsen to deal with the interloper. The General reaches for his blade, but suddenly senses incoming danger. He swerves, dodging the incoming scythe of <em>Kazeshini</em>.<br/><br/>Shūhei dives towards his former mentor, followed by Captain Sajin Komamura. The three combatants dash away to settle their score. Aizen, with the slightest hint of exasperation, looks to Gin Ichimaru. The right-hand subordinate sighs and draws Shinsō, remarking that he hadn’t planned on fighting just yet. Aizen watches with icy scrutiny as Gin begins to battle Shinji.<br/><br/>—<br/><b>• Riptide<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Hitsugaya vs. Harribel]</b><br/>Tōshiro struggles to fend off the coordinated attacks of the Tres Bestias, all of them having released their Resurrección forms. Nursing a nasty slice across his chest, he haphazardly parries away the three Fracción members’ attacks. The captain flaps his ice wings down to the ground, struggling to regain breath. He is surprised when Rangiku Matsumoto flash-steps before him.<br/><br/>Rangiku apologizes for allowing the Tenkai Ketchu pillar she was guarding be destroyed, vowing to help her captain in his time of need. Hitsugaya warns that the combined strength of the Tres Bestias is too much for her. Rangiku, accepting the risk, releases her <em>Haineko</em> and casts <em>Neko Rinbu</em>, obscuring her and Hitsugaya’s precise location from the Arrancars.<br/><br/>Mila Rose launches through the mist and clashes with Rangiku. The 1oth Division lieutenant forms a shield from a concentration of her Shikai. Mila Rose is surprised as the surrounding dust begins to knick at her.<br/><br/>Cyan and Emilou jump out above the mist, only to run into Lisa and Hiyori. The two Visored release their Shikais and don their masks.<br/><br/>Lisa tauntingly asks if the “Tres Bestias are formidable enough to fight one-on-one?” before crashing her oversized spade of a Shikai — <em>Haguro Tonbo</em> – onto Apacci.<br/><br/>Apacci is alarmed by the bookish Visored’s strength while Sung-Sun battles Hiyori.<br/><br/>Hitsugaya flies up above the mist. He recognizes the two Visoreds and expresses gratitude for their help. His expression drops when he feels Tier Harribel flash-step behind him. The captain pivots around but is batted away effortlessly by Harribel’s swing. The Espada fires a wave of Cascada, sending Hitsugaya crashing into a neighboring street.<br/><br/>Tōshiro hops back onto his feet, barely keeping up as Harribel slashes at him with her Pata sword. The pavement of the road cracks and telephone lines topple over as the two warriors swordfight. Hitsugaya thrusts his blade into the ground, a pillar of ice shooting up and enclosing around Harribel. The Espada is momentarily frozen in place, but shatters the prison with a flex of her Reiatsu. She sucks up the moisture and reforms it into a boiling blast: “<em>Hirviendo</em>!”<br/><br/>Hitsugaya nimbly dodges the brunt of the attack, but the piping hot liquid scalds his arm. He screams and involuntarily drops his Zanpakuto, dashing several yards back.<br/><br/>Realizing his folly, Tōshiro moves to reclaim his sword, but halts in his tracks when Harribel flash-steps before him. Pressing the tip of Tiburón to his chest, she asks for his name. Hitsugaya identifies himself, tone dignified as he accepts that death may be imminent. Harribel reciprocates with her title and rank, then retracts her blade and orders him to retrieve his Zanpakuto.<br/><br/>Harribel sees the surprise in Hitsugaya’s reaction and assures him that he will not be shown mercy. She just won’t dispatch him when he is unarmed.<br/><br/>Hitsugaya dashes towards Hyōrinmaru and snatches it from the concrete. Harribel swerves towards him and fires another blast of Hirviendo. Hitsugaya’s wings enclose around him, shielding his body from the boiling onslaught. The captain unfolds his wings and corrals the steaming remains of liquid into <em>Guncho Tsurara</em>, firing Harribel’s attack back at her in the form of ice daggers. Harribel swings her blade, the shockwave of her swipe shattering the projectiles. Hitsugaya’s eyes widen as he watches his attack reduced to fine particles.<br/><br/><b>• Hey, Got a Bankai?<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Kensei &amp; Love vs. Starrk]</b><br/>Starrk stares at Kensei and Love, wondering to himself if these two new challengers are strong. The Primera Espada calls out to them, asking if they are captains like Shunsui and Ukitake. Getting no answer, he cocks one of his guns.<br/><br/>Kensei flash-steps before Starrk, swiping his <em>Tachikaze</em> against the muzzle. The dagger pushes Starrk’s gun to the side, the Arrancar’s Cero firing out into blank space. Kensei slashes his blade across Starrk’s throat, but the Arrancar nimbly dodges and leaves an afterimage. Kensei dons his mask and turns to see Starrk several yards away, cocking his pistol once again. The Visored slashes at the air, launching gusts of wind that cut into the Espada’s outstretched arm.<br/><br/>Starrk notes the lacerations on his limb with alarm and responds by firing a blitz of Ceros. Kensei dodges them while dashing towards the Primera, bringing his dagger down from overhead. Starrk blocks the slash with his right arm – it deflects off his Hierro – his left arm aiming a point-blank shot from beneath. He fires a Cero, the blast throwing Kensei back and shattering his mask.<br/><br/>Before Starrk can do any celebrating, he dodges a swing from Love’s oversized club of a Zanpakuto, <em>Tengumaru</em>. The Visored dexterously wields his kanabō, not sacrificing any speed. Starrk dashes back several paces and fires a Cero. To his surprise, Love bats at the blast like a baseball and bursts it, his Shikai smoking.<br/><br/>Love conjures <em>Hifuki no Koduchi</em>, lighting his club in flames and launching a blazing ball of energy. When the fireball is within 10 yards of Starrk, the Espada fires a blitz of Balas, puncturing through the sphere and creating a pathway. He flash-steps through the opening, emerging out the other end unscathed. He is met by Love, who swings his club and connects, the force batting Starrk back into the fireball. The Espada dives headfirst into the inferno; it bursts and illuminates the Karakura skyline.<br/><br/>Kensei flash-steps next to Love. The white-haired Visored is bloodied, remarking that the Arrancar’s Ceros pack a powerful punch. Love notes with severity that none of their attacks have inflicted any damage upon Starrk; not even their Visored-enhanced abilities seem to dent him. Kensei wonders aloud if they should kick it up a notch.<br/><br/>Starrk flash-steps before the two Visored, nonchalantly asking if either of them “have got a Bankai?” Kensei and Love exchange a look of bemusement. Starrk scratches the back of his neck with one of his pistols, musing aloud that he would very much like to see their Bankai. Kensei declares with a fiendish grin that they will happily oblige. He and Love simultaneously intone “Ban… Kai!” and erupt in a burst of wind and fire.<br/><br/>Kensei emerges from a cyclone bedecked in <em>Tekken Tachikaze</em>. Love, meanwhile, is encased in a 15-foot black golem — <em><b>Kikō no Yōkai-ō</b></em> (<em>Armor of the Goblin King</em>). The surface of the rocky automaton is similar to Tengumaru, with spikes flaring from its shoulders and knees, several protruding from its back in the same arrangement as Love’s hairstyle. Love is situated in the golem’s chest, his face visible behind the slotted helmet of the goliath’s head. It is as though he is piloting a Mecha.<br/><br/>Starrk’s eyes widen as he observes the two Visoreds’ formidable upgrades. Just to see what will happen, he fires a shot. Love extends one of his rocky hands forward, catching the Cero in his palm. The blast explodes in his grip, his oversized fist smoking.<br/><br/>Starrk gives a nod of satisfaction. “Okay,” he decides. “I will fight you seriously, then.”<br/><br/>The Primera twirls his two pistols and holsters them, springing two Reiatsu blades from his bandoleers — utilizing <em>Colmillo</em>. He flash-steps between the two Visoreds and slashes at them, knocking them back in opposite directions. Starrk whirls towards Kensei like a twister, his two blades forming a cylindrical blur. Kensei claps his hands together, generating a countervailing wind-tunnel that unravels Starrk’s attack. He dashes towards the off-balance Arrancar and connects a fist into his solar-plexus.<br/><br/>Starrk chokes for air, feeling as though he is being struck by a thousand fists all at once. Kensei — with a hint of malicious enjoyment — explains his Bankai’s ability and keeps his brass knuckles connected with Starrk’s chest, inflicting a devastating succession of blows into the Primera. The Visored thrusts his arm forward, launching the Arrancar across the sky.<br/><br/>Starrk is caught by Love’s vice-like clutches. The Primera can feel mounting heat surge around him as the Visored grips him tightly between his stoney dukes. Love explains how <em>Kikō no Yōkai-ō</em> can raise its surface temperature until it melts the skin off of opponents. Starrk, feeling himself becoming overwhelmed, activates Ceros from his every limb. The Espada erupts with firepower, breaking from Love’s grip. Drawing his pistols, he fires a blitzkrieg of shots against the golem, pushing it back.<br/><br/>Kensei watches the bombardment from above, transforming his brass knuckles into spiked gauntlets. He flash-steps behind Starrk and swings a punch. The Espada pivots and rapid-fires into Kensei, only for the Visored to fade into an afterimage. Starrk shoots at the swarming speed-clones swirling around him. Kensei reaches the Espada and strikes him across the face, sending him flying down. Before the Arrancar can crash into the buildings below, Love flash-steps before his trajectory and connects a fire-flecked punch, enveloping Starrk in a fireball that launches up into the sky. The sphere rises above the clouds and explodes, illuminating Karakura Town with a brilliant flash.<br/><br/><b>• Batten Down the Hatches<br/>Karakura Town (Continued)</b><br/>Orihime and Tatsuki enter Urahara’s Shop and find Tessai sitting in a meditative stance. Inoue asks to see Mr. Urahara, to which the Kido master responds “He is busy.” Extending his palms together, Tessai utters an incantation. The two girls watch in amazement as a bubble-shaped barrier extends out from Tessai and swells out past the shop, encompassing a radius of eight square blocks.<br/><br/>Tessai explains that those without spirit energy can easily pass through is barrier. Meanwhile, those with Reiatsu will meet resistance. He asks Orihime and Tatsuki to herd as many humans as they can within the sphere, where they can be protected from the war. Jinta and Ururu hop up, announcing that they too will help corral as many Karakura Town residents as they can find. Orihime urges that they must also work towards saving Ichigo and the others from Hueco Mundo. Tessai assures her that the matter is being attended to.<br/><br/>...<br/><br/><b>• Wrong Floor<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Byakuya vs. Barragan]</b><br/>Orihime and Tatsuki run down the street, having already passed the perimeter of Tessai’s bubble barrier. They call out to residents, urging everyone to run towards the golden dome — they’ll be safe inside of it. Tatsuki casts Orihime a worried look, wondering about the safety of their classmates. They agree to head for Karakura High School and turn into an alleyway for a shortcut.<br/><br/>Suddenly, a bloodied Byakuya Kuchiki bursts out from a wall right before the two girls. Tatsuki gasps as Barragan emerges from the rubble, an enormous axe in his hand. Byakuya spots the two humans and grabs them by their collars, dashing away from Barragan at full speed. The Hollow King gives chase, calling on the “noble ant” to stand and fight. Orihime watches in horror as everything surrounding Barragan corrodes. She can hear screams rising and fading from the disintegrating buildings around him.<br/><br/>Byakuya runs up to a corporate building across the street and leaps through its glass windows, carrying the two women behind him as he kicks a open door into a stairway and dashes up the floors. Tatsuki and Orihime watch Respira giving chase, nipping at their heels as they are carried up the flights of stairs. Byakuya slams through the door of the 20th floor and dashes through, only to be confronted by Barragan at the end of the hallway, behind him a widening hole where the window used to be. The captain freezes, realizing that they are now trapped. He looks back to see the wave of miasma surging towards them.<br/><br/>Barragan emits a grunt of confusion as his Respira halts within mere feet of Byakuya and the two women. A golden wall stretching from floor to ceiling glows as the black mist presses against it. Byakuya looks wide-eyed down to Orihime. She seems surprised herself as she juts her hands forward, having summoned this shield.<br/><br/>The Respira is gradually corroding her <em>Santun Kesshun</em> — no doubt about it — but more slowly than should be possible. Byakuya punches a Kido up through the ceiling, leaping up with the two girls in tow.<br/><br/>Barragan watches with incredulity as his miasma swells against the pulsating wall of mysterious energy. He is displeased, letting out a roar of rage as Orihime’s shield cracks and shatters, the black mist surging forth.<br/><br/>Byakuya bursts through the rooftop, the building below him starting to crumble. Hanatarō Yamada dutifully awaits on a neighboring rooftop, asking the captain if he has any new orders. Byakuya tosses Tatsuki towards the healer, ordering him to take her away somewhere safe. Hanatarō catches the irate teenager and blushes as she demands to be put down. He apologizes before leaping away with her in tow, skipping across the skyline.<br/><br/>Byakua flies up into the sky with Orihime in his arms, her fairies surging up after them to return to her hairpins. He demands to know what Kido she used to blunt Barragan’s attack. Orihime stammers that it wasn’t Kido — it was her <em>Shun Shun Rikka</em>. She had learned how to use it more elastically and with greater density under Hachigen’s training. Byakuya listens to her intently, interrupting only to ask if she can stand in the air on her own. Orihime remembers that indeed she can; her fairies create platforms for her to rest her feet upon midair.<br/><br/>After a hesitant pause, Byakuya asks Orihime if she knows of Rukia’s current status. Orihime involuntarily gasps: the last she heard of Rukia was that she had died fighting Aaroniero. She answers that she’s not sure, but the emotion in her voice communicates volumes to Byakuya. The Shinigami is silent for a beat, devastation flashing across his eyes before he resumes total composure. He tells Orihime that he will need her help to fight the Segunda Espada.<br/><br/>Suddenly, the building beneath them bursts apart, a geyser of Respira surging upwards. Barragan glides up from the disintegrating rubble, announcing that he is unsure of how the girl managed to stall his power, but that he will reduce her to ashes soon enough.<br/><br/>Byakuya asks Orihime how sophisticated her techniques had become under Hachigen’s tutelage. She nervously responds that she had developed her powers by leaps and bounds, but that she hasn’t tested them in combat yet. Byakuya, casting some irritated side-eye, tersely responds that she is being put to the test at this very moment. Orihime gulps and promises to try her best.<br/><br/><b>• Neptune’s Wrath<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Hitsugaya vs. Harribel]</b><br/>Lisa and Hiyori have Emilou and Cyan outmatched, their Visored powers amplifying their superior swordsmanship. Apacci roars with indignation that no “mock Arrancar” can challenge the might of the Tres Bestia. She fires a Cero, only for Lisa to spin <em>Haguro Tonbo</em> and deflect the blast. Apacci’s eyes widen as Lisa flash-steps through her, the Arrancar bursting from countless cuts that disintegrate her body.<br/><br/>Cyan cries out for her comrade, only for Hiyori to bear down on her from above. The Visored’s serrated Shikai — <em>Kubikiri Orochi</em> — bifurcates the serpentine Arrancar.<br/><br/>Harribel knocks Hitsugaya back, horrified as she senses her subordinates’ deaths. In a hushed breath, she commends Emilou and Cyan for fighting well, then whirls around as Lisa and Hiyori attack her from behind. The Espada charges a Cero within her blade and swings it forth, the wide-reaching energy engulfing the two Visoreds.<br/><br/>Tōshiro thrusts his blade into the ground, generating a surge of ice up to engulf Harribel. The Vasto Lorde dives down into the attack, cleaving through it until she has wedged the edge of Tiburōn deep into Hitsugaya’s shoulder. The captain chokes on his breath as Harribel presses her foot to his chest, shoving him off from her blade. She casts vengeful eyes up to Lisa and Hiyori, promising that they’re next.<br/><br/>Lisa braces herself and spins her staff to block Harribel’s surging strike. A masked Hiyori flash-steps behind the Espada, conjuring a triple Cero. Harribel spins back, her blade ripping through the Visored’s charging beams and cutting her across the chest.<br/><br/>Harribel clocks Hitsugaya charging at her from below and nimbly dodges his thrust. The captain’s blade erupts into a massive icicle — his intended attack. Too bad it missed. Harribel parries him back and flash-steps high up into the sky, overlooking her three opponents as they form a defensive line.<br/><br/>Lisa remarks that she has never encountered an opponent with such fearsome power before. Hitsugaya, his breathing heavy and body bloody, admits that he has been completely outclassed by the Tercera Espada.<br/><br/>Harribel gazes down at the trio, charging her blade with Reiryoku and extending it downwards.“<em>Trident."</em><br/><br/>Her sword fires a three-pronged energy beam, each slash hitting its mark. Hiyori and Lisa’s masks crumble, both falling from the sky.<br/><br/>Hitsugaya, dazed, apologizes to the people of Karakura Town, wishing he could have protected them better. Spitting up blood, the captain plummets down, a deep gash in his side. He lands on the road, his icy wings cracking.<br/><br/>Harribel is not satisfied. She flash-steps before the two fallen Visoreds, dragging her blade on the concrete behind her as she stares at them pitilessly. “You have fought admirably,” she seethes, “but the debt must be paid.” Harribel swings her blade forth, firing a slash of water straight at the defenseless Hiyori and Lisa. They watch with resignation as the blast bears down on them —<br/><br/>— until a figure flash-steps before the liquid strike, kicking it with such countervailing force that the element dispels with a splash. Harribel, eyes narrowing, demands that the intervening Shinigami identify herself. Name and rank.<br/><br/>“Yoruichi Shihōin,” she answers. “But I do not serve Soul Society.”<br/><br/>Casting a look back to Hiyori and Lisa, Yoruichi commends the two warriors for putting up the fight they did against a Vasto Lorde. She will take it from here.<br/><br/>Harribel warns Yoruichi that there will be no mercy for those who stand in the way of her avenging her fallen subordinates. Yoruichi unsheathes a short Zanpakuto from her thigh, welcoming the challenge.<br/><br/>“<b><em>Toraeru</em></b> (<em>Pounce</em>),” Yoruichi intones, “<em><b>Hyōgenkotsu</b></em> (<em>Panther Fists</em>)!”<br/><br/>After a crackling flash, Yoruichi’s arms and legs are clad in gauntlets: blunt instruments for her to dish out punishment (identical to her anti-Hierro armor from the Canon). Harribel watches with awe as the Shunkō Master sprouts wings of lightning from her back, generating enough wind to bend the telephone lines around her.<br/><br/>Yoruichi zips forward and punches Harribel square in the chest. The Vasto Lorde is flung back, her body ripping apart pavement of the road before Yoruichi flash-steps underneath her, both legs smashing into the Tercera Espada and launching her into the air.<br/><br/><b>• Justice is Blind<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Komamura vs. Tōsen]</b><br/>Tōsen battles Hisagi and Komamura. Their battle has not reached any boiling point yet, the defector easily fending off his attackers’ blows. [This battle is the least altered out of this entire arc, so details about it will be sparse].<br/><br/><b>• The Wolfpack Cometh<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Kensei &amp; Love vs. Starrk]</b><br/>Starrk floats above the clouds, his uniform still smoldering from Love’s blast. Lilynette nestles up to him, warning that he will be overwhelmed if he does not accept her help. The Espada grimaces, begrudgingly agreeing.<br/><br/>Kensei and Love look up at the clouds, wagering between each other whether Starrk will come back down or just flee. To their shock, five wolves fringed with flame launch down from the sky, charging straight for Kensei. The armored Visored dashes back, urging Love to put Starrk down.<br/><br/>Kensei dashes across the Karakura skyline, fleeing the pursuing lupine missiles. He turns to face them and punches a fist through the air, firing a torrent a sharp wind. The wolves dodge the attack, three of them clamping down onto Kensei’s body and detonating. He erupts in an explosion of fiery Reiatsu.<br/><br/>Starrk flash-steps 40 yards from Love, beckoning the golem to come at him. Sufficiently baited, Love pilots his armor to curl itself into a spiky sphere, spinning in midair. Starrk watches with fascination as the Visored’s hamster-wheel-revolutions spark and ignite into a roving fireball. This is his ultimate attack: <em><b>Rokkunrōrusekke</b></em> (<em>Rock ’n’ Roll Comet</em>). After building up crushing forward momentum, Love’s roving comet shoots at the Espada like it’s been loosed by a slingshot.<br/><br/>Starrk nods in approval and summons a Gran Rey Cero from his chest. The energy beam erupts from him — the shockwave shattering all of the windows below — and slams into Love’s fireball, halting its trajectory. The Visored is stunned as his armor is sent spinning in the opposite direction. Realizing that he has been overpowered, he ejects from <em>Kikō no Yōkai-ō</em> and somersaults up towards the sky. He realizes too late that two of the wolves are upon him, sinking their teeth into his limbs and detonating.<br/><br/>Love plummets to the ground after Kensei, both of them bloody and charred. Starrk glides down, offering to look the other way if they choose to escape. Love hocks a bloody wad of spit, turning the offer down flat. The Primera sighs, insisting that he didn’t want to kill anyone today. He touches down, casting a shadow behind him. “I will make it quick,” the Espada promises.<br/><br/>Suddenly, a black blade erupts from Starrk’s chest. Throat curdling, his eyes rove back to see Shunsui Kyōraku emerge from his shadow, dripping in darkness.<br/><br/>Jūshirō Ukitake flash-steps between Starrk and the two Visoreds. Crossing his blades, the 13th Division Captain declares “Bankai! <em><b>Kurushunagi Jibunōshippotaberu</b></em> (<em>The Conflicted Eel Swallowing Its Own Tail</em>)!”<br/><br/>Ukitake is cloaked in a torrent of water, emerging from the waves wielding a double-ended Naginta spear, a curved blade affixed to each end of the staff. One end is distinguished by a black frill and an engraving of a fish swimming upstream on the blade, while the other side is distinguished by a white frill and an engraving of a fish swimming downstream.<br/><br/>Shunsui retracts his sword from Starrk’s back, commenting that he and Ukitake were both waiting for <em>Katen Kyōkotsu</em> to get in the mood. Starrk clutches at the wound in his abdomen, grimacing as Shunsui explains the nature of his Shikai. The 8th Division Captain asks Starrk “Ready for Round Two?”<br/><br/>...<br/><br/>Kira and Tetsuzaemon have planted themselves inside of the city, both of them powering Kido barriers to shield townspeople from falling rubble. They aren’t seen by the spiritually unaware, of course. Kira angrily watches his former captain battle Shinji Hirako above.<br/><br/>Gin and Shinji appear to be toying with each other.<br/><br/>Gin extends his Shinsō. Shinji effortlessly dodges the strike, remarking that Gin fights like this is all just a game. The 3rd Division defector cracks a grin, responding that everything has been just a game to Captain Aizen: Stir up as much chaos as possible, keep track of all the roving pieces, and assemble them to your advantage whenever you see fit. Never rely on a particular domino to fall. That’s how you play the game.<br/><br/>Aizen observes the interaction, carefully listening to Gin’s every inflection. Meanwhile, his eyes rove over to watch Orihime Inoue engage Barragan Louisebarn.<br/><br/><b>• Hail to the King<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Byakuya &amp; Orihime v. Barragan]</b><br/>Orihime casts her fairies to encircle Barragan (the fairies are more like dots of light by this point rather than distinctive figures like they were earlier in the saga). The cloaked revenant broadens the scope of his Respira, boasting that he will decay whatever the girl conjures. Orihime wills her fairies to interlock their energies, forming a prism of light around Barragan. She closes her fist, brow furrowed, the hexagonal trap beginning to shrink.<br/><br/>She reflects on a memory of Hachigen teaching her how to create sophisticated shapes with her powers. He was very proud of her progress.<br/><br/>Barragan watches with incredulity as the prism contracts around him. “You mean to crush me?” he roars. Orihime’s eyes widen as she witnesses her hexagonal barrier begin to crack and then shatter. Miasma seeps through the shards of light, dissolving them.<br/><br/>Byakuya stands beside her, studying the phenomena. He asks if she is able to conjure stronger shields. Orihime recalls Hachi telling her that there seemed to be a link between her level of confidence and the density of her powers. Byakuya gazes at the nervous girl for a beat and then concedes that her confidence is unlikely to improve over the course of this battle.<br/><br/>Barragan interrupts them, bellowing out that he has indulged the girl long enough. He brandishes his axe, sending a chill through Orihime.<br/><br/>Aizen interjects from above, calling down to Barragan. The Segunda Espada looks up to see his master casting him a most threatening smile. “I forbid you from killing that woman,” Aizen orders, eyes glinting with sadistic supremacy.<br/><br/>Barragan, so irritated that his bones rattle, trains his ire on Byakuya. If he cannot obliterate “Aizen’s pet,” he will busy himself with slaying the Shinigami. He flash-steps before Byakuya, swinging his axe down. Orihime reactively casts her <em>Santen Kesshun</em> between the Espada and the captain, Barragan’s axe smashing against the triangle of light.<br/><br/>Byakuya stares up at Barragan, raising his Zanpakuto with the blade facing down. He drops the sword, intoning “Bankai… <em>Senbonzakura Kageyoshi</em>.” Barragan watches as thousands upon thousands of blades swirl around him like cherry blossoms in the wind. The blades converge around Barragan from every direction, only for the Hollow King to swing his axe back and fling spirals of Respira towards the incoming waves. Byakuya’s eyes widen as his blades slow and disperse once again, swaths of the cherry blossoms dissolving.<br/><br/>Barragan cleaves his axe down once more against Orihime’s shield, cracking its surface. Orihime hastily reshapes her triangular shield into a cube that encompasses Byakuya’s entire body. Barragan swings again and successfully cleaves the prism in half, wheezing out a laugh in triumph. His gloating ceases when he realizes that the bifurcated cube is empty.<br/><br/>The Espada looks to Orihime, demanding to know what happened to Byakuya. Orihime, terrified of the skeletal King before her, meekly answers that she “traded him away.”<br/><br/>Byakuya looks around in astonishment as he stands inside of a cube 60 yards away. Orihime had transferred him from one cube to another like an instant teleportation device. The 6th Division Captain formulates a strategy as the light around him dissolves.<br/><br/>Barragan draws closer to Orihime, demanding that she return Byakuya Kuchiki. His bony hand reaches out, threatening to caress the petrified girl’s face. He tells her that her fear is merited, for she is in the presence of a god.<br/><br/>Byakuya flash-steps behind Orihime, gripping her by the shoulder and carrying her 30 yards away from Barragan. He asks her what technique she just used to rescue him. Orihime, still shaken by Barragan’s intimidation, stammers out that she used a technique that Hachi had taught her: she creates two identical barriers and “trades” their contents — a useful maneuver for extricating an ally from the frontline of danger.<br/><br/>Byakuya tells her that she must listen closely: he has a plan.<br/><br/>Barragan watches the two opponents chatter. He laughs to himself, concluding that it is useless to “strategize.” His powers are absolute.<br/><br/>Byakuya stares Barragan down, surrounding himself and Orihime with a ring of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Barragan responds by expanding the reach of his Respira. Extending a bony finger forward, the Segunda Espada beckons his miasma to surge toward his two foes.<br/><br/>Orihime casts a prism around the wave of Respira, containing it. Barragan laughs — declaring her power puny compared to his. With great concentration, Orihime guides the cube containing the Respira towards Barragan.<br/><br/>The Espada watches with bemusement as the prism comes within inches of his chest. The Espada roars with laughter as he begins to understand. “You think my Respira can harm me?” he cackles. His laughter trails off as he sees another cube beside Byakuya — the receptacle swirling with Respira. Confused, the King of Hueco Mundo looks back down at the prism before him. The petals of <em>Senbonzakura Kageyoshi</em> swim inside of it.<br/><br/>Byakuya wonders aloud if Barragan can halt the petals of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi if they were to launch at him from mere inches away. Orihime throws her hands wide like a conductor, the cube of light before Barragan peeling apart. The countless blades surge forward and envelop the Espada, ripping through him.<br/><br/>Byakuya allows himself a soft smile for a plan well-executed. He looks to Orihime and tells her that she has a remarkable gift. He can see why Rukia had considered her both a friend and a powerful ally. Orihime is deeply touched by the compliment. Her newfound piece of mind is interrupted when the sphere of Senbonzakura blasts apart. She and Byakuya look on with alarm as Barragan emerges from the torrent. He is virtually unscathed and furious, crying out that he doesn’t care about Aizen’s orders — both the Shinigami and the girl must die.<br/><br/>The prism filled with Respira beside Byakuya and Orihime starts to crack and then bursts apart, the miasma surging straight for Orihime. Byakuya puts himself between her and the attack, the miasma latching onto his limp arm. Grimacing, the captain grabs Orihime and flash-steps several yards away.<br/><br/>Barragan cackles as Byakuya’s arm begins to disintegrate. Orihime instinctively casts <em>Sōten Kisshun</em> around the captain’s limb, attempting to stave off the corrosion. Barragan boasts that it is no use — the girl will not be able to reject the power of the God of Hueco Mundo. He directs his Respira to swirl around the two “ants,” the miasma closing in around them.<br/><br/>Byakuya, in a cold sweat, has a stroke of inspiration. He grasps Orihime by the shoulder. “Let it rot,” he tells her, gesturing to his arm and then to Barragan.<br/><br/>Orihime is momentarily confused, but then it dawns on her. Her eyes widen as she grasps Byakuya’s idea.<br/><br/>Barragan continues to cackle until he feels a twinge. Something is wrong. He peers out and sees that Byakuya’s arm has been severed, missing entirely from the block of light wrapped around his elbow. It has been “traded” away. The Espada asks Orihime where she has put it.<br/><br/>Orihime meekly — almost apologetically — points to Barragan. She’s given it to him.<br/><br/>Barragan is stunned as his body begins to disintegrate. Embedded in his dissolving chest is a prism of light containing Byakuya’s rotting arm, the limb emanating Respira from within. The Espada doesn’t understand how this is possible.<br/><br/>Byakuya explains that he had a hunch that Barragan was not impervious to his own Respira. Bypass whatever barrier he uses to shield himself from his own attack, and it will work on him like it would on anyone else.<br/><br/>Barragan doesn’t accept what is happening. He defiantly bellows that he is a god.<br/><br/>Byakuya, eyes narrowing, responds “Then why are you dying?”<br/><br/>Barragan thrashes around, using his remaining strength to hurl his axe up towards Aizen, cursing out the Shinigami for having the gaul to boss around the King of Hueco Mundo. Aizen barely even acknowledges the blade as it turns to ash mid-spin.<br/><br/>Barragan’s crown falls from the sky, shattering into ashes upon the ground.<br/><br/>Byakuya finally allows himself to feel his exhaustion. Orihime maternally touches the cube connected to his severed arm. “I reject,” she says warmly. Byakuya watches with astonishment as his hand regrows — with full functionality returning to his fingers. He looks at Orihime with admiration. “Thank you,” says the prideful Captain of the 6th Division, “for saving my life.”<br/><br/>Orihime absorbs his thanks for a beat and responds that she is grateful, too. All this time, she had doubted her ability to be helpful on the battlefield. Her insecurity had crippled her. “Thank you, Byakuya-san, for placing your trust in me.”<br/><br/><b>• Come Hell or High Water<br/>Karakura Town - 16,000 Feet Above Sea Level [Yoruichi vs. Harribel]</b><br/>Tier Harribel stands roughly three miles above Karakura Town, levitating amidst a fleet of clouds. She gazes down at Karakura Town, which looks like a thumbtack from this height. She senses that Barragan has died. Good riddance. The Espada's attention snaps back as she pivots to parry a punch from Yoruichi Shihōin.<br/><br/>Yoruichi launches a succession of pummeling blows, her gauntlets pounding against Tier’s Pata sword. Amidst the flurry of strikes, she swings her left leg, the gauntlet crunching against Harribel’s side, sending the Espada flying into the shroud of clouds.<br/><br/>Harribel, obscured by the cumulous sheet, fires down a torrent of water. Yoruichi dodges the shot and speeds towards Harribel. The Espada spins, conjuring a twister of finely honed aqua that threatens to slice Yoruichi through. Yoruichi flexes her Shunkō, unleashing a cyclone that blunts the blast. She thrusts both of her gauntlet-clad arms forward, projecting air-pocket punches that sink deep into Harribel’s body.<br/><br/>Yoruichi dashes back several paces, allowing Harribel to regain her breath. The Arrancar coughs up phlegm, heaving from fatigue. She looks up to Yoruichi and realizes that the Shinigami is scrutinizing her.<br/><br/>Harribel beckons Yoruichi to share what she finds so fascinating. Yoruichi replies that she is merely admiring the amount of punishment that the Espada can take. Harribel hocks a wade of spit and regains her composure, recounting how she had spent her whole existence fighting stronger opponents, fending them off to protect those who looked to her for guardianship. She has weathered worse beatings than what Yoruichi is dishing out.<br/><br/>Yoruichi is intrigued to hear that Harribel has “followers.” From her understanding, Barragan Louisebarn had not ruled Hueco Mundo with any fidelity to his subjects.<br/><br/>Harribel’s face tightens. She admits that Hueco Mundo is defined by anarchy and cruelty. You must constantly put your life on the line if you want to defend the weak. Every kindness requires great sacrifice. Harribel concludes that Lord Aizen may be subjugating the Arrancars, but at least he imposes a civilized order. Before he came to Hueco Mundo, Arrancars wantonly attacked each other. It was savagery.<br/><br/>Yoruichi listens intently, then asks Harribel what Aizen had offered her in return for her service. The Espada is incredulous: he promised her nothing. She follows him because she understands that defying him would mean the death of her and every Arrancar under her care.<br/><br/>Yoruichi concludes that Harribel is lowering herself by serving a master who she doesn’t admire or believe in.<br/><br/>The Espada retorts that she set her dignity aside long ago to protect those under her care.<br/><br/>“Why do you think I am here?” Harribel asks contemptuously, charging Tiburón with Reiryoku. “Sacrifice.”<br/><br/>The Espada aims her fully-charged blade upwards, intoning “<em><b>Mar Revuelto</b></em>.” Tiburón fires a ball of Reiatsu that has the smoothness and luminosity of a pearl. Yoruichi watches the orb launch into the cumulous sheet above them and detonate.<br/><br/>The clouds darken and swell into a concentration of Nimbostratus. Yoruichi’s eyes widen as buckets of rain start pouring down around her.<br/><br/>Harribel extends her fist in Yoruichi’s direction and flicks her fingers forward, firing four prongs of water that coalesce into spears. Yoruichi shields herself with her gauntlets – each of them cracking from the projectiles’ force.<br/><br/>Enormous tendrils of aqua erupt from behind Harribel, lashing forward like eels (“<em><b>Cadenas de Moringua</b></em>”). Yoruichi punches at the surging jets of head-on, only for her right-fist gauntlet to shatter upon impact. The Shinigami is knocked back, buffeted around by the interlocking, serpentine concentrations of rainwater.<br/><br/>Harribel pitilessly watches Yoruichi thrash around within the writhing clutches of <em>Cadenas of Moringua</em>. The Espada charges a concentration of <em>La Gota</em> and fires it from her blade. The strike hits Yoruichi right in her back, cutting her deep. The Shinigami gasps, blood spurting from her mouth and splashing onto her watery cage.<br/><br/><b>• Weird Science<br/>Las Noches Dunes</b><br/>Ūryu slowly comes to, his eyes opening to see Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi grinning down at him demonically. The Quincy’s heart seizes in his chest as the captain bids him hello. Mayuri’s extended fingernail broaches one of Ishida’s palms, testing the nerve response. “It seems that you are paralyzed from the neck down,” the captain gleefully observes. How nice of the Quincy to make himself wholly vulnerable.<br/><br/>Mayuri muses aloud that perhaps he ought to add Ūryu to his cart of trophies and bring him back to Soul Society, where he can finally get to work studying his physiology. The captain’s lips curl into the most delighted sneer while Ūryu’s stares up at him, defenseless and terrified.<br/><br/>A shadow casts over Ishida and Mayuri. The captain looks up to see a bloody Renji Abarai, sword drawn and demanding that he back away from Ishida. Mayuri’s eyes narrow as he asks Renji whether he is seriously challenging a captain. “Your last bit of insubordination against Captain Kuchiki didn’t end well for you, now did it?”<br/><br/>Kenpachi emerges from behind Renji, his body charred and smoking. He tells Mayuri to back off from Ūryu, citing that he and Captain Suí-Fēng owe the Quincy their lives. Mayuri relents, concluding with a huff that he will just have to console himself with all the goodies he collected from Szayelaparro Granz’s laboratory. Nemu pushes an overstuffed cart of collected items behind him. The spoils of war.<br/><br/><b>• Picking Up the Hollow Pieces<br/>Las Noches - Upper Realm</b><br/>Ichigo carefully lifts Rukia up into his arms. She applies pressure to her stomach, wincing from the pain. Ichigo, eyes heavy with profound sadness, mutedly apologizes for hurting her. Rukia is taken aback, assuring Ichigo that she knew all along that it wasn’t really him who attacked her. Ichigo is not comforted. His loss of control is precisely what scares him.<br/><br/>He looks back to Nelliel, thanking her for the role she has played in this war. Nel gives him a warm smile, replying that she will walk around the landscape of this upper realm for a while; she wants to be alone and reflect on her sorrow. Ichigo bids her to be safe and readies to leave.<br/><br/>Nel calls after Ichigo, expressing pleasant surprise to have discovered that he is more like her than she had realized. “You are like a Hollow.” Ichigo gazes back at her, unnerved by the praise, and manages weak nod before carrying Rukia down into the dimension below.<br/><br/>The two friends marvel at the destruction below them. The Seventh Tower is now a smoking ruin. Ichigo glides down until he touches the ground. He starts marching forward, aching from his wounds while carrying Rukia. She studies his face, worried about his state of mind. Ichigo trudges on, his eyes unable to meet Rukia’s stare.<br/><br/>“Ichigo!” cries out a voice in the distance. He and Rukia look up and spot Chad standing atop a dune half a mile away, waving to them. Ichigo perks up with relief, his steps growing faster until he breaks into a sprint towards his friend. He is within yards of Chad when Renji springs out from behind the dune, excitedly asking if Rukia’s alright. He rushes up to the two, relieved they are both alive but upset by the sight of Rukia’s wound. “Did the Espada do that to you?” he asks her.<br/><br/>Rukia doesn’t know how to answer. Ichigo falls back into a depressed detachment.<br/><br/>…<br/><br/>Ichigo and Rukia rest on the ground while Chad, Renji, and Yumichika finish recounting their battle with Yammy. Ishida’s body is propped against a boulder. He studies his two friends’ expressions and asks what happened to them during their battle with Ulquiorra. He can tell that something is amiss. Ichigo struggles to answer before Rukia answers for him: Ichigo defeated Ulquiorra. That’s all there is to it.<br/><br/>Kenpachi sizes Ichigo up, remarking that his spirit seems weaker than last time. The captain swings his blade down, forcing Ichigo to dodge with a yelp. Kenpachi asserts that Ichigo needs to regain his fighting spirit if he’s going to win them the war.<br/><br/>Ichigo is confused by the statement. He points out that they are all trapped here in Hueco Mundo, with no way of escaping back to the World of the Living. For all they know, the war is already over.<br/><br/>Suddenly, a Garganta snaps open right behind Ichigo. He can feel its yawning breath on his back and can see the shocked expressions of his Nakama. Slowly, he turns back and sees his own father, Isshin Kurosaki, grinning at him.<br/><br/><b>• The Arrancar with No Name<br/>Karakura Town [Shunsui &amp; Ukitake vs. Starrk]</b><br/>Rainfall drizzles down on Karakura Town. Starrk is struggling to adapt to the rules of Shunsui’s Katen Kyōkotsu. Shunsui explains how his blades manifest children’s games: <em>Bushōgoma</em>, <em>Kageoni</em>, and <em>Takaoni</em>.<br/><br/>The Espada grows agitated and fires a blitz of Ceros at Shunsui. When they are within a yard of the captain, he morphs into Ukitake, who twirls his Bankai and juts out the end with the white frill, his blade absorbing the Ceros like he was drinking them through a straw.<br/><br/>Starrk arches an eyebrow, asking how Shunsui and Ukitake swapped places.<br/><br/>Kyōraku flash-steps behind him and happily explains: his Zanpakuto is also playing the game of <em><b>Taggumatchi</b></em>. When his Katen Kyōkotsu senses that Shunsui is ill-suited for a certain obstacle, it will “tag in” Ukitake to fight in his stead. Jūshirō is the only other Shinigami that Katen Kyōkotsu knows well enough to harness this ability.<br/><br/>Starrk spins around and fires into Shunsui at point-blank range. As the smoke clears, Starrk gazes into the eyes of Ukitake, whose spear has absorbed the Cero once again. Ukitake explains that while <em>Sōgyo no Kotowari</em> can redirect an energy attack, <em>Kurushunagi Jibunōshippotaberu</em> will store up the collected energy until it has amassed a reservoir of destructive power that he can unleash all at once. The captain reverses his spear with a twirl, the black-fringed blade tickling Starrk’s chest. “Observe.”<br/><br/>A pulverizing blast of Starrk’s own energy erupts from Ukitake’s blade and overtakes the Espada, sending him flying back. He regains his balance, only for Shunsui to initiate the game of <em>Irooni</em>. The Primera reforges his twin blades with <em>Colmillo</em>, struggling to keep up with Shunsui’s swordplay. Lilynette nervously dashes around them, eager to intervene. Starrk snaps at her, demanding that she stay back.<br/><br/>Lilynette irately barks back that she will not wait on the sidelines and watch him die. She flares up, readying to sprout a new crop of clones. After a beat, her light subsides. The fiery wolf cries out that her soul isn’t dividing.<br/><br/>Ukitake flash-steps before Starrk, confirming that Lilynette will not be able to create new clones. He explains that while his Bankai upgrades his ability to redirect energy attacks, its main power is to halt the progression of everyone within its sphere of influence (a radius of about 1,000 feet). When <em>Kurushunagi Jibunōshippotaberu</em> is released, its opponents can no longer activate their powers.<br/><br/>For example: if Shunsui had not activated his Shikai beforehand, then he wouldn’t have been able to do so after Kurushunagi Jibunōshippotaberu was released. Katen Kyōkotsu can utilize its alternating games because they were all already in its arsenal when the stagnation field was activated. Meanwhile, a technique like Lilynette splitting her soul is no longer possible.<br/><br/>Starrk gasps as he witnesses Kyōraku flash-stepping beside Lilynette, cleaving his swords through her. The blades slice clean through but with no effect — Lilynette remains in one piece. The wolf dashes away, hissing that she can’t be destroyed because she is pure energy. She can only self-destruct. Shunsui chuckles at this, praising her as a truly fearsome “technique.” “However,” Shunsui wonders aloud, “would you continue to exist if your other half was struck down?”<br/><br/>Shunsui and Starrk resume their duel while Ukitake watches from a distance. Starrk is internally panicking, wondering why he had to be saddled with such strong opponents. He is suddenly caught off guard as Shunsui attacks him from above — <em>Takaoni</em>. The Espada’s reaction time is thrown off: he won’t be able to dodge this one.<br/><br/>Lilynette dashes between Starrk and Shunsui, launching herself at the Shinigami. Starrk’s eyes widen. He cries after her, demanding that she stop whatever she’s doing.<br/><br/>Lilynette reaches Shunsui and clamps her jaws around his shoulder. She illuminates, priming to explode — only for Ukitake to stab his spear into the fiery wolf’s side. Starrk watches in horror as his other half erupts into a shapeless pool of energy and suck into the end of Ukitake’s staff.<br/><br/>Starrk dashes forward and strikes at Shunsui and Ukitake. Both captains nimbly dodge and watch as the Arrancar frantically calls out for Lilynette to come back. Ukitake’s expression becomes heavy with sadness as he watches Starrk slowly realize that Lilynette is dead.<br/><br/>Shunsui flash-steps before Starrk. With a heavy sigh, the captain announces that their duel will now be one-on-one.<br/><br/>They resume their battle, but Starrk is preoccupied with the memory of Lilynette’s creation. They were alone, all of their friends perishing from just getting close to their Reiatsu. They split from one original being just to share a companion. They felt relieved when Lord Aizen was unfazed by their strength.<br/><br/><em>I am alone now</em>, Starrk thinks.<br/><br/>Shunsui tosses his pink captain’s robes at the Espada, momentarily blinding him. Starrk cuts through the garb, realizing too late that the Shinigami is clad in only black and readying his strike. “Black,” Kyōraku calls out before slashing Starrk’s Hollow Hole.<br/><br/>The Espada’s chest cracks and shatters. He plummets down, remembering his first conversation with Lilynette.<br/><br/>“<em>Where are you going</em>?” she asked him.<br/><br/>“<em>Anywhere</em>.” He replied. “<em>Let’s go together. Forever.</em>”<br/><br/>Starrk gazes up and sees Lord Aizen watching him fall. Even from a great distance, he can see the expression in Aizen’s eyes — pure <em>contempt</em>. The Arrancar Lord turns his gaze away, no longer interested in the Primera Espada.<br/><br/><em>I am alone.</em><br/><br/>Starrk crashes into the ground, cratering the pavement. He is still alive. Struggling to move, he observes the Karakura townspeople running around him in a panic. He hadn’t noticed their fear before this moment. Realizing that he is directly responsible for their suffering, the Espada blinks a single tear.<br/><br/><em>I need to be alone.</em><br/><br/>Starrk activates a Garganta beneath him, falling through it while Shunsui and Ukitake watch from above. The portal snaps shut.<br/><br/>Shunsui remarks that even if Starrk survives his wounds, the Arrancar will no longer be a factor in the battle. He looks to Ukitake, who is crestfallen. The 13th Division Captain remarks that there was no honor in this fight; he feels as though they have broken an admirable beast.<br/><br/>Shunsui reminds his dear friend that there is no honor in war: both sides are evil out of necessity.<br/><br/><b>• Palindromes<br/>Karakura Town (Continued) [Shinji vs. Gin]</b><br/>Shinji releases Sakanade, grinning from ear to ear. Gin is alarmed as his senses become inverted. Shinji takes advantage of the disorientation, flash-stepping around the defector and landing several slashes.<br/><br/>Gin touches his bloodied shoulder, pauses for a beat, and then announces that he gives up. Shinji is dumbstruck.<br/><br/>Gin looks back to Captain Aizen, complaining that if he continues fighting Shinji Hirako, he will die. What use will he be to Aizen if that happens?<br/><br/>The Arrancar Lord’s expression is ambiguous as he stares down his subordinate. A thin smile spreads across his face. He tells Shinji “it seems you have won this round.”<br/><br/>Shinji reseals Sakanade and rests the blade against his shoulder, boasting that many Shinigami have been winning “this round.” The two mightiest Espada have already been defeated; what will Aizen do when his entire army is reduced to just him, Tōsen and Ichimaru?<br/><br/>Aizen merely smiles back, giving Shinji the most condescending side-eye imaginable.<br/><br/><b>• The Thunder God<br/>Karakura Town - 16,000 Feet Above Sea Level [Yoruichi vs. Harribel]</b><br/>Yoruichi struggles for breath while being tossed around by Harribel’s <em>Cadenas de Moringua</em>. The Shinigami spins and kicks at one of the tendrils, but her gauntlet shatters upon impact. With only half of her limbs’ armor intact, she is mercilessly slapped around by the torrents of rainwater.<br/><br/>Harribel watches from afar, commending Yoruichi for her battle prowess. “But it will not save you.”<br/><br/>Yoruichi swings her arms behind her and fires a propulsive Shunkō, rocketing her toward Harribel. The Espada meets with her with a sword swing. Yoruichi dives underneath the blade and spins up, punching Harribel in the face. The Arrancar flies back, regains her balance, and swings her Tiburón down, commanding her <em>Cadenas de Moringua</em> to surge down after Yoruichi.<br/><br/>The tendrils wrap around Yoruichi, swirling until they condense into a sphere of water. Yoruichi realizes she been trapped and struggles to wriggle out of the aqua prison. Harribel casts a barrier over the sphere, dooming Yoruichi to drown inside of it. The Shinigami has been ensnared by <em><b>Trituradora Pulmón</b></em> (<em>Lung Crusher</em>).<br/><br/>Yoruichi writhes around in panic for a moment, but swiftly centers herself. She begins to punch her fists up, launching air-pocket shockwaves at a fixed point of the sphere. She fires away until her strikes blast a hole through the shield, giving her a brief air pocket.<br/><br/>Yoruichi’s Shikai condenses back into her Zanpakuto. She tosses the blade up. It spins haphazardly and lands between her teeth. She enunciates “Ban-kai!” in the final second before <em>Tritudora Pulmón</em> snaps back to its spherical shape around her.</p><p>There is a pause, and then the sphere bursts apart with a brilliant flash of light. Harribel watches in astonishment as her water rips apart to reveal Yoruichi bathed in light. The Shinigami has released her Bankai: <em><b>Inabikari Sōgano Raimeineko</b></em> (<em>Lightning Claws of the Thunder Cat</em>). Her hands and feet are gloved with sharp claws of electricity, a black tail sashaying behind her. She looks similar to her canonical Shunryū Kokubyō Senkei form (which will not feature in this revision of <em><b>Bleach</b></em>), but she is less scantily clad and maintains full sentience.<br/><br/>Harribel is awed by the power radiating from Yoruichi. The Shinigami cracks a Cheshire cat grin and kicks upwards, unleashing a mighty cyclone of Shunkō up into the cloud overhead, puncturing it. The Nimbostratus disperses, cutting off the rainfall that had fueled Harribel's powers.<br/><br/>The Espada corrals the remaining droplets of water and organizes them into her strongest attack: <b><em>Mandíbulas del Leviatán</em></b> (<em>Jaws of the Leviathan</em>): two bulky waves enclose around Yoruichi, taking on the shape of enclosing jaws. The thundercat generates her Shunkō in full force, her gusts of billowing wind punctuated with crackles of lightning.<br/><br/>Harribel is astonished when the jaws of her ultimate attack struggle to enclose around Yoruichi, the Shinigami’s Shunkō output blowing the pincers apart. Harribel exerts all of her strength and the two serrated halves of water snap shut. There is a catastrophic collision, the rainwater smashing together and vaporizing into mist.<br/><br/>Yoruichi remains alive and well: the thundercat honed her Shunkō down until it coated her in a spherical barrier, shielding her from the collision.<br/><br/>Harribel flash-steps forward and swings her Tiburón with all of her might, only for Yoruichi to flip over the blade and strike down with a kick. Her heel connects with Harribel’s head, sending a bolt of lightning through her.<br/>...<br/><b>Karakura Town - Ground Level (Continued)</b><br/>Rangiku is bloody and exhausted, but has Mila Rose pinned down against a rooftop. Pointing her blade at the Fracción member’s throat, she demands that the Arrancar accept defeat. Mila Rose emotionally retorts that Lady Harribel will stop at nothing to avenge Cyan and Emilou. She must do the same.<br/><br/>Rangiku reluctantly readies to put the Arrancar down, but her attention is interrupted when Harribel streaks down from the sky, crashing at the base of Karakura Town’s water treatment plant.<br/><br/>Harribel struggles to her feet, genuinely afraid when she sees Yoruichi diving down from the sky. The Tercera Espada hones her focus, the water tower behind her bursting open. The gushing liquid surges to the tip of Tiburón.<br/><br/>Harribel brings the concentration of aqua before her to a boil, formulating her final gambit. “<em>Hirviendo</em>!” she cries, firing an enormous geyser of scalding water up at Yoruichi. The thundercat sees the boiling pillar rising up to meet her. She locks both of her lightning claws together, curls into a ball, and spins — blasts of Shunkō emanating from her somersaulting body. Harribel watches in shock as Yoruichi cuts through the Hirviendo, parting it like the Red Sea before unfurling her body and connecting her feet against the Espada’s chest.<br/><br/>There is a boom of thunder and a shockwave that levels the surrounding neighborhood. Harribel is stomped into the ground, her body cratering a square block. She hacks up blood, eyes glazed. Yoruichi stands over her, lightning crackling around her.<br/><br/>Harribel knows that she is beaten. She sees Mila Rose from the corner of her eye, her heart tightening. The Espada tells Yoruichi that she will admit defeat and face execution if her sole surviving Fracción member is let go.<br/><br/>Yoruichi grins, her electricity turning blue. Harribel is confused by the palette change, but doesn’t get a chance to inquire before Yoruichi grabs her by the collar and draws her in close. The thundercat tells Harribel that she should flee with Mila Rose.<br/><br/>Harribel’s eyes widen in confusion. Yoruichi repeats the command: she wants the Espada to flee. Tier responds that she has yet to avenge her two fallen Fracción members. She would sooner die than let their deaths go unaccounted for. Yoruichi draws back, standing imperiously over Harribel, stating that the Espada’s dedication to her subordinates is precisely why she should survive.<br/><br/>Yoruichi beckons Harribel to stand up. The Arrancar struggles to her feet, gasping for breath. Grimacing, she asks Yoruichi why she is showing mercy.<br/><br/>“Because Barragan is dead,” Yoruichi responds. Hueco Mundo will be without a ruler once this is all over. The Tercera Espada is the realm’s best shot at a reformative government.<br/><br/>Harribel considers the idea, then nervously looks up at Aizen.<br/><br/>“Aizen will discard you once you cease to be useful to him,” Yoruichi declares. “Continue fighting on his behalf and you will die regardless of whether he wins or loses.”<br/><br/>Harribel counters that if Aizen prevails, he will come back to Hueco Mundo and slaughter everyone she cares about. What guarantee does she have that the Shinigami will stop him?<br/><br/>Yoruichi pauses for a beat, and then concedes that she can’t promise Aizen will be stopped. But no matter the outcome, the only positive future for Hueco Mundo is under Harribel’s rule.<br/><br/>Harribel absorbs this hard truth. Making a decision, she demands that Soul Society make no more excursions into Hueco Mundo going forward. This all started when the realm was colonized by a Shinigami; it cannot happen again.<br/><br/>Yoruichi promises that if Aizen is defeated, Soul Society will respect Hueco Mundo’s sovereignty. She turns to Rangiku, commanding her to release Mila Rose. The lieutenant complies and watches the Fracción member fly to her superior.<br/><br/>Harribel’s strength gives out. She collapses, but is caught by Mila Rose. The two Arrancar trudge off. Harribel activates a Garganta, then looks up to Lord Aizen. He gazes down at her with cold eyes, remarking to himself that she and the other Espadas made for a “disappointing show.”<br/><br/>Harribel looks back to Yoruichi, her eyes filled with something resembling gratitude. She and Mila Rose step forth into the Garganta and vanish.<br/><br/>Yoruichi reseals her Bankai. Letting out a sigh of exhaustion, she reaches back to touch the deep wound between her shoulder blades. Harribel got her good.<br/><br/>Rangiku touches down behind Yoruichi. She thanks her for saving Captain Hitsugaya’s life. Yoruichi casts her weary eyes. “Don’t mention it...” she trails off before collapsing on the ground, blood spurting from her back. Rangiku cries out for a medic.<br/>...<br/>Hitsugaya sits while a pair of 4th Division healers tend to his wounds. He looks over to Hiyori and Lisa, both of them unconscious. He asks his healers why they haven’t resuscitated the two women yet. One replies that they received orders to prioritize members of the Gotei. Hitsugaya tells them to go and heal Hiyori and Lisa immediately.<br/><br/>One of the medics protests that the captain’s wounds haven’t been fully mended yet. Hitsugaya rises to his feet, insisting that he’s been revived enough to fight again. The two healers relent and run over to the Visoreds.<br/><br/><b>• Family Reunion - Hueco Mundo</b><br/>Isshin Kurosaki grins, the Dangai looming behind him. He steps forth from the Garganta and onto the Hueco Mundo sand, garbed in his Shinigami uniform.<br/><br/>Ichigo looks wide-eyed at his father, struggling to understand. “D-Dad?” he stammers.<br/><br/>Kenpachi’s brow furrows as he recognizes the mysterious Shinigami. He laughs uproariously and looks to Ichigo.<br/><br/>“Your father is Shiba Isshin?” Kenpachi cackles.<br/><br/>Ichigo's head nearly explodes from sheer confusion. He demands to know who “Shiba Isshin” is. Suí-Fēng interjects, recounting how Captain Isshin Shiba was one of the strongest Shinigami to rise up within the Gotei in a generation. He mysteriously disappeared almost two decades ago and was presumed dead. And yet here he is, standing before them.<br/><br/>Mayuri wrinkles with disappointment, complaining that he was expecting Kisuke Urahara instead. He explains that while he was unable to uncover a way to open a Garganta within Hueco Mundo, he discovered something interesting in Szayelaparro’s laboratory. Turns out the Espada was a spy; he had been sending out reports on Aizen’s activities to a mysterious source over the years. In the event that his treachery was discovered, the Octava Espada created coordinates to send to his benefactor so they could venture to Hueco Mundo and retrieve him. The formula included instructions for how to calibrate a Garganta so that the portal could bypass the barrier surrounding Las Noches, but it was also designed to only allow two persons to enter through it at a time — presumably Szayelaparro and his rescuer.<br/><br/>Mayuri adds that since Aizen had already invaded the World of Living, he figured that Soul Society was likely busy confronting him. So he used Szayelaparro’s messenger system to send the coordinates to Kisuke Urahara. For whatever reason, Urahara sent the former Captain Shiba in his stead.<br/><br/>Isshin acknowledges the three captains and concludes “Now, with reintroductions out of the way, it’s time for you to come home, Ichigo.”<br/><br/>Ichigo is shocked. He protests that Kenpachi should go instead; he is a captain, after all. Isshin shakes his head, asserting that Ichigo is the only person who can defeat Aizen. He reminds everyone that the entire Gotei 13 is under the spell of Kyōka Suigetsu, but Ichigo never saw the Shikai’s release.<br/><br/>"Isn't that right, Ichigo?" Isshin asks ruefully.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami begrudgingly admits that Aizen never released his Shikai when he fought him. Isshin concludes that Ichigo is the only warrior strong enough to fight Aizen while avoiding his hypnosis.<br/><br/>Ichigo is coated in a cold sweat, frozen in uncertainty. Chad looks at his friend quizzically, asking why Ichigo isn’t jumping at the chance to help win the war. Ichigo grows upset and admits that he may do more harm than good. He can’t control whatever is inside of him.<br/><br/>Rukia reaches up and grasps Ichigo by the shoulder, capturing his attention. She sternly asks “What is your duty, Ichigo?” He listens intently as she reminds him that he is the Substitute Shinigami of Karakura, and his sworn duty is to protect that town.<br/><br/>Ichigo gives a halfhearted nod. He will go.<br/><br/>Isshin asks Isane to heal Ichigo’s wounds. The strapping Shinigami looks to the rest of the group, observing that they all look like they’ve had a very rough go of it. Suí-Fēng admits that she can’t leave Hueco Mundo soon enough. Isshin replies that Urahara will figure out a way to retrieve them after the war is over. For now, they’ll just have to hunker down.<br/><br/>Ichigo is healed and ready to go. He looks back at Rukia, Chad, and Ishida with a winsome smile and thanks them all for coming with him to save Orihime. He vows to finish the job.<br/><br/>The Nakama watches as Isshin and Ichigo step into the Garganta, the portal snapping shut. Ishida is worried, thinking to himself that Ichigo had the expression of someone expecting defeat.<br/><br/>…<br/><br/>Ichigo sprints behind his father as they make their way through the Dengai. He asks why the Garganta brought them here instead of Urahara’s Shop. Isshin replies that they aren’t heading for Urahara’s Shop, but for Aizen’s location in the World of the Living. They will ambush him and hopefully end the war in an instant.<br/><br/>Isshin notices that his son isn’t responding. He turns back to see that Ichigo has halted, standing still in the darkness. Isshin strides up to him, sternly reminding him that the Cleaner will be after them if they don’t get a move on. He sees the anguish in Ichigo’s eyes and sighs, admitting that his son probably has questions.<br/><br/>Ichigo answers that he isn’t expecting Isshin to explain his history as a Shinigami and why he kept it a secret. He knows his father has his reasons and will tell him about it when he is ready. Instead, what he is worried about is himself.<br/><br/>Isshin listens carefully as Ichigo recounts how he had lost control while fighting Ulquiorra. He transformed into something malevolent and attacked Rukia. Ichigo gazes up at his father, tears in his eyes. “Dad,” he pleads. “<em>What am I</em>?”<br/><br/>Isshin lets the question linger for a long beat, and then smiles. “You are my son.” he answers. “You are Masaki’s son. You are Karin and Yuzu’s brother. You are Kurosaki Ichigo. That’s who you are.”<br/><br/>Ichigo absorbs his father’s words and then smiles back. The Substitute Shinigami has regained his focus.<br/><br/>“Thanks, Dad."<br/><br/><b>• The Scales of Justice<br/>Karakura Town [Komamura &amp; Hisagi vs. Tōsen]</b><br/>Komamura and Hisagi continue battling Tōsen. Their fight progresses as it did in the <b>Canon</b>: Tōsen reveals that Aizen had evolved him with the Hōgyoku. He dons a Hollow mask and begins to trounce his two former friends.<br/><br/><em>Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō </em>lands a devastating blow against Tōsen, crippling his arm. Komamura watches with heartbreak as the defector captain's limb contorts itself back into position – high-speed generation. Tōsen notices that the wolf has not reacted, but is instead silent.<br/><br/>"Have you run out of new condemnations, Sajin?" Kaname asks, voice altered by his mask.<br/><br/>"I am trying to understand," Komamura replies with a crestfallen tone.<br/><br/>"Understand?"<br/><br/>"Why you joined with Aizen," Komamura continues. "When did he turn you, Tōsen?"<br/><br/>Tōsen is silent for a beat, then answers "Before we met, Sajin. It was Aizen who directed me to join the Gotei 13."<br/><br/>Komamura is taken aback. <em>Since before we met</em>? he thinks, his chest tightening. The wolf's sorrow turns to anger.<br/><br/>"You told me that Aizen's way was the only 'path towards justice,'" Komamura grits. "Are you naive enough to believe that? Have you deluded yourself to the point of madness, Tōsen? Don't you recognize that Aizen is cruel and duplicitous?"<br/><br/>"He is," Tōsen replies. "Lord Aizen is both those things. I have understood this about him for a long time, but it matters not. He is the only Shinigami with both the power and the will to remake Soul Society."<br/><br/>"You swore yourself to justice, Tōsen!" Komamura roars, his grip tightening around his Zanpakuto. "Since I have known you, protecting the law has been your sworn duty! Why would you seek to destroy the very institutions that you vowed to protect?"<br/><br/>Kaname begins to chuckle, shocking Komamura. The defector's laughter soon crescendoes into an uproarious cackle.<br/><br/>"Your confusion is a bad joke, Sajin!" Kaname booms. "Soul Society is a farce built upon a lie. Justice cannot thrive until it is destroyed. You ridicule me as a conqueror when I am in fact the liberator!"<br/><br/>The defector places a hand on his chest, reveling in his righteousness.<br/><br/>"When Lord Aizen ascends to the throne, he will appoint me Captain-Commander of Soul Society," Tōsen declares. "He shall rule from the heavens while I administer justice below. This is the bargain we struck."<br/><br/>Komamura is at a loss for words. He shakes with rage.<br/><br/>"Only the most corrupted and disfigured of souls would seek to wield the Law as a tyrant, Tōsen," Komamura seethes. "Kakyō would curse your name if she could see what you've become!"<br/><br/>Tōsen leans forward, his mask splitting apart to form a serrated mouth as he howls in indignation.<br/><br/>"Damn you, Sajin!" the defector screams. "How dare you invoke her name, you accursed abomination! My Zanpakuto is proof enough that Kakyō would follow me down this path!"<br/><br/>Tōsen brandishes <em>Suzumushi</em>, revealing "It was her blade before I claimed it for my own!"<br/><br/>Komamura is stunned by this revelation. He watches with grim resignation as Tōsen releases his Resurrección: <em>Grillar Grillo</em>. The Shinigami transforms into a monstrosity, gaining the power of sight for the first time. He battles Komamura’s Kokujō Tengen Myō’ō and defeats him, readying to deal a killing blow. He is ambushed by Hisagi, who plunges his Zanpakuto into the back of his former mentor’s neck and releases Kazeshini.<br/><br/>Komamura and Hisagi stand over the grievously wounded Tōsen. Komamura confesses to Tōsen that while he can never understand his goals, he does not doubt his conviction. The wolf trusts that his friend went down this path because he truly believed it would lead towards justice. But he beseeches Kaname to not let his ambitions disfigure his soul. Komamura concludes that losing Tōsen would be like losing his heart.<br/><br/>Tōsen is moved to tears. He reflects on his friendship with Komamura and realizes that their bond was real, above all else. He thanks his friend and then asks Hisagi to come closer so that he may see him for the first time. Kaname suddenly winces and explodes into a geyser of viscera, his blood splashing onto his horrified friends. Komamura looks up at Aizen and bellows that he will never forgive him.<br/><br/>Aizen gazes down at the stain that was once was his confidante. “Soul Suicide,” he remarks to Gin. “Well… I did warn him.”<br/><br/>Suddenly, a Garganta tears open behind Aizen. From it springs Ichigo Kurosaki, Tensa Zangetsu in hand and Visored mask emblazoned across his face. The Substitute Shinigami swings, unleashing a Getsuga Tenshō against the nape of Aizen’s neck.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. THE WHITE INVASION: The Devil's Snare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The battle against Aizen begins.</p>
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</p><p> <iframe></iframe></p><p>Ichigo Kurosaki slings a crushing current of Getsuga Tenshō from the edge of Tensa Zangetsu, hoping against hope that it will cleave Aizen’s head cleanly from his shoulders and end the war in an instant.<br/><br/>His heart sinks when his fully-charged attack splashes against the Arrancar Lord’s back and radiates against an unfurling shield of prismatic light. The Getsuga Tenshō ebbs and then disperses, leaving the target completely unharmed.<br/><br/>“Ryoka boy,” Aizen remarks to himself with icy regard.<br/><br/>Ichigo breaks into a cold sweat as Aizen explains that the nape of the neck is a warrior’s most vulnerable spot. He had taken pains to guard himself against such a sneak attack.<br/><br/>“I see that Ulquiorra Cifer failed his directive,” Aizen adds with a thin smile. “A shame, but fortuitous all the same. If you were able to overwhelm even him, then you must be worth the trouble, Kurosaki Ichigo.”<br/><br/>Ichigo angrily phases his mask back on and channels his energy into the tip of his Bankai blade, reigniting a fresh flame of Getsuga Tenshō. Aizen’s eyes widen with delight at the aggression.<br/><br/>“You want to kill me, don’t you?” the Arrancar Lord laughs, hands in his pockets. “Punish me for the little errand I put you through, is that it? Maybe you do possess the will to strike me down, but your fear of yourself still far outweighs your hatred of me.”<br/><br/>Ichigo roars beneath his mask and lunges at Aizen, unleashing a sweeping current of black energy. His target effortlessly flash-steps out of range, only for Ichigo to pivot and fire. “I see you!” he cries out, watching his Getsuga Tenshō overtake Aizen. His blood runs cold when he hears the Arrancar Lord’s voice call out behind him.<br/><br/>“You see your own reflection on the water’s surface, Kurosaki Ichigo,” Aizen gloats. “Careful not to drown in it.”<br/><br/>Ichigo whips around and charges with another wave of his attack. He thrusts Tensa Zangetsu into Aizen’s chest and explodes his energy from the sword’s point, only for the Arrancar Lord’s visage to fade and disperse as the blast vaporizes his after-image. Ichigo, his mask flaking off, turns back in shock to see Aizen smiling at him from 10 yards away.<br/><br/>“Don’t fret, Kurosaki Ichigo,” Aizen says with condescending tranquility. “You are not under my Complete Hypnosis — that would spoil our fun. This is merely my natural speed. See? —“<br/><br/>Ichigo chokes on his breath as Aizen presses his fingertips to his chest. “– I can reach your heart with little trouble.”<br/><br/>Ichigo dashes back several paces, completely unnerved.<br/><br/>“I know you are stronger than this,” Aizen asserts with frosty certainty. “Are you simply afraid to unveil your true face before our audience?”<br/><br/>Ichigo’s eyes dart down to the townspeople below. So many people.<br/><br/>“What’s wrong?” Aizen asks with derisive concern. “Did Ulquiorra show you that that mock Arrancar kabuki you indulge in isn’t the only mask you wear? Perhaps you are worrying over what havoc you might wreak should the mask slip again? You must have observed what you are capable of. Tell me — which of your friends did you harm?”<br/><br/>Ichigo is frozen in fear, Tensa Zangetsu rattling in his grip. His breathing quickens as he feels himself spiraling. His mounting panic halts when his quivering hand is gripped by his father’s fist.<br/><br/>“The battle has only begun, Ichigo,” Isshin tells his son reassuringly. “I’m right here with you.”<br/><br/>Shinji Hirako flash-steps behind the father and son. “So are we.”<br/><br/>Ichigo looks back in astonishment as Shinji is joined by Captains Shunsui Kyōraku , Jūshirō Ukitake, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Sajin Komamura, and Byakuya Kuchiki; all of them flanked by the Visoreds Hiyori Sarugaki, Love Aikawa, Kensei Muguruma, and Lisa Yadōmaru. 10 formidable Shinigami, all of them wounded but resilient.<br/><br/>Ukitake looks to Ichigo with a reassuring smile.<br/><br/>“You’ve grown since we last met, Ichigo,” the 13th Division Captain warmly observes. "Learning that your father is Shiba Isshin was clarifying, I must admit. You always reminded me of Kaien – in more ways than one."<br/><br/>Ichigo is nonplussed by the reference at first, but then it dawns on him. <em>Kaien Shiba, Rukia's mentor</em>, he thinks to himself. He suddenly realizes that he's related to the guy.<br/><br/>“Now we must entrust you with being our eyes and ears in this battle,” Ukitake adds.<br/><br/>Ichigo is surprised by this bestowed responsibility. Shinji cuts him a sly look, reminding him that they’re all under Aizen’s hypnosis. If the traitor is able to activate his Shikai, Ichigo will be the only person able to verify reality.<br/><br/>“Stay back and keep your eyes peeled, kid,” Shinji advises.<br/><br/>The Shinigami and Visoreds move out, with only Byakuya remaining. Ichigo stares wide-eyed at his former nemesis, struggling to find the words.<br/><br/>“B-Byakuya,” Ichigo forces out. “Have you seen Inoue?”<br/><br/>Byakuya nods, softly answering “She is helping herd the townspeople to safety.” The captain hesitates for a moment, and then asks “Rukia… is she alive?”<br/><br/>Ichigo goes pale. There is a long pause before the Substitute Shinigami replies “Rukia is alive, Byakuya.”<br/><br/>Byakuya tenses, gripped with irrepressible relief before returning to his placid expression. “Thank you, Kurosaki Ichigo.” He flash-steps away, leaving a queasy Ichigo watching the battle begin. Isshin stands beside his son, warning him to pay close attention.<br/><br/>Karakura Town has already taken a heavy toll from the war. Entire buildings are leveled and the inhabitants terrified by the unexplainable destruction happening around them. The enormous walls of Kidō summoned by Aizen wrap around the borders of the town like the fortifications of a fortress.<br/><br/>Kensei, Love, Lisa, and Hiyori flash-step before Aizen, all of them armed.<br/><br/>“Just you and us now, Aizen,” Kensei grits, cracking his knuckles with an obscenely loud pop. “There’s no one left for you to hide behind.”<br/><br/>Aizen smirks as the Visoreds encircle him.<br/><br/>“So you’ve come to avenge Captain Ōtoribashi and Lieutenant Kuna, is that right?” he devilishly queries.<br/><br/>“Don’t forget Hachi,” Hiyori adds, visibly agitated.<br/><br/>“I see,” Aizen whispers, closing his eyes and taking a moment to bask in the comedy of it all. “Your vengeance is a futile gesture. Your comrades’ deaths were merciful; the real cruelty is that you resist the same fate. All this time, you’ve been waiting to kill me so you can go on living again. But there is no future for any of you mock Arrancar. You all died 100 years ago.”<br/><br/>Hiyori is infuriated by this provocation. She lunges forward with her serrated Shikai swinging, only for Aizen to flash-step above and kick her straight down into the town below. The Visored plummets and crashes into a building, collapsing it from within.<br/><br/>“Hiyori!” Lisa cries out, filled with fear and indignation.<br/><br/>Aizen smirks and slides his hands from his pockets, his right reaching for the hilt of Kyōka Suigetsu. He is interrupted when Hitsugaya lunges at him from below, bringing his blade up for a strike. Aizen nimbly dodges the slash, chiding Hitsugaya for his sloppy aim. The Arrancar Lord reaches back for the hilt of his Zanpakuto, but realizes that he cannot draw it: the katana has been bonded to its scabbard, encased in Hitsugaya’s ice.<br/><br/>“Is this your grand strategy?” Aizen asks, looking up at his attackers with an intrigued expression. “You mean to keep me from drawing Kyōka Suigetsu and releasing my Complete Hypnosis?”<br/><br/>Kensei and Love simultaneously release their Bankais, jointly announcing their intention of pummeling the traitor before he has any opportunity to activate his spell.<br/><br/>Ichigo watches the Visoreds flex their power. He is deeply impressed by their Reiatsu.<br/><br/>“That was smart of Hitsugaya,” Ichigo remarks to Isshin. “I’ve fought with the Visoreds – they’re strong. If they can keep Aizen from releasing Kyōka Suigetsu, they can overwhelm him!”<br/><br/>“Keep him from releasing Kyōka Suigetsu?” an oily voice asks.<br/><br/>Ichigo looks back to see Gin Ichimaru standing five yards from them. The snake concludes that the Shinigamis’ strategy is “No good.” Isshin turns his attention to Gin, studying him for any sudden movements.<br/><br/>“Ignore this worm and don’t take your eyes away from Aizen for a second, Ichigo!” Isshin instructs his son. The Substitute Shinigami turns his attention back onto the battle. His heart swiftly drops into his stomach.</p><p>Lisa flash-steps before Aizen, darting the wide edge of Haguro Tonbo at him, the blade emanating dozens of slicing reverberations. Aizen weaves through each of the slashes and smashes his palm into Lisa’s mask, shattering it. He grips Lisa by her face and throws her down from the sky with punishing velocity. She crashes through a rooftop, the impact blowing out the windows of the building’s top floor.<br/><br/>Aizen smirks at his handiwork, but his self-satisfaction is interrupted when he senses Kensei lunging at him. The Visored swings both of his knuckle blades around Aizen’s throat, only for the Arrancar Lord to reach up and snatch the Visored’s wrists, keeping his quivering blades at a distance.<br/><br/>“What good is your brute force if it cannot reach me?” Aizen taunts before ramming his forehead into Kensei’s face.<br/><br/>The Visored spins back with a bloody, broken nose. He lunges forward again with his blades transforming into brass knuckles. He swings, only for Aizen to meet his strike. Both of their fists pulsate with shockwaves as they exchange a flurry of punches, Aizen’s knuckles growing bloody while Kensei’s bands gradually crack. The Visored roars and thrusts his arms forward.<br/><br/>Aizen catches both fists, a tight smile curling across his lips as he endures the pain of countless strikes reverberating against his palms. Kensei watches in shock as Aizen crushes the gauntlets between his grip. The Arrancar Lord brings his knee up into the Visored’s abdomen, prompting him to double over in pain. Aizen brings his elbow down against the back of Kensei’s neck, knocking him out cold and sending him falling from the sky.<br/><br/>“That’s right,” Gin hisses to Ichigo, hovering several paces behind the horrified Substitute Shinigami. “There’s a reason why Captain Aizen was able to subjugate those who’d rather die than obey. The Espada didn’t follow ‘im ‘cause of Kyōka Suigetsu — they followed ‘im ‘cause he’s strong.“<br/><br/>Komamura flies up before Aizen, Kokujō Tengen Myō’ō materializes behind him. The wolf swings his sword down, his mimicking goliath following suit. Aizen sidesteps the enormous blade, readying a Kidō from his upturned fingertips.<br/><br/>“Hado #76,” the Arrancar Lord intones. “Aōsuraisu!”<br/><br/>Aizen sweeps his hand across the air, unleashing an arching slash of blue energy that slices a deep laceration into the giant’s chest. Komamura roars and lunges forward, blood spurting from his corresponding wound.<br/><br/>Aizen nimbly jumps above Komamura’s slash, his foot bouncing from the katana’s curved edge, and kicks the wolf square across the face, sending him flying back into his own Bankai. Komamura smashes into the samurai’s chest and comes out the other end, the giant evaporating as the wolf streaks down across the skyline and crashes into the buildings below.<br/><br/>Aizen feels an incoming heat and turns to see Love’s Kikō no Yōkai-ō rolling straight for him. He holds out his hands and catches the spinning sphere; it drives him back several yards, but he manages to halt its momentum, the flames licking his Arrancar garb. Love is incredulous as Aizen places a bloody and smoking palm against the armor’s surface.<br/><br/>“Hado #31,” Aizen intones. “Shakkahō!”<br/><br/>A beam of red light blasts clean through Love’s armor. The Visored is blown out from the back of his golem, his smoking body somersaulting and falling from the sky. Kikō no Yōkai-ō crumbles before Aizen, the Bankai disintegrating into rubble.<br/><br/>Ichigo watches in abject horror as Aizen decimates the Visoreds without even drawing his Zanpakuto. Isshin grimaces as he surveys the onslaught. Gin grins from behind them, resuming his monologue.<br/><br/>“Captain Aizen's abilities ain't like anyone else’s,” the snake continues. “’We'll be careful of Kyoka Suigetsu,’ you say? Nope, that ain't enough. ‘We'll be careful of everything else, then,’ you say? Nope, that still ain't enough. Be it the sky fallin' or the earth crackin' open, you could be ready for misfortune out there, but y'all will never be ready for what Captain Aizen is.”<br/><br/>“Don’t listen to him, Ichigo!” Isshin cautions, gripping the hilt of his Zanpakuto and shooting Gin a glare. “Keep your eyes on Aizen!”<br/><br/>Aizen examines his own smoldering hands. They are torn open and dripping with blood, the skin of his palms entirely shorn off. He watches patiently until blue, pulsating veins seep out from under his sleeves and coalesce around his wounds. He observes his ruined hands rapidly regenerating back to their pristine smoothness. The Arrancar Lord grins, satisfied by this development. His attention is interrupted when Hitsugaya charges straight at him, blade thrust forward.<br/><br/>Aizen curls an eyebrow in exasperation and chides Hitsugaya for charging at him from such an obvious direction. He then notices Shinji hovering in the distance. The Visored is grinning from ear to ear, his Sakanade whirring in his grip. “It’s in reverse,” Aizen realizes just as Hitsugaya thrusts Hyōrinmaru into his back. The Arrancar Lord looks down in shock at the frost-laden blade sprouting from chest.<br/><br/>Shinji casts a look over to Ichigo. “Well, Ichigo?!” the Visored calls out. “Did we get him or not?!”<br/><br/>Ichigo vigorously nods. They got him. It’s no illusion — Aizen has been run through.<br/><br/>Hitsugaya hisses under his breath as he drives his sword deeper between Aizen’s shoulder blades. “This is for Momo, you bastard!” the young captain grits. Shinji reverts Sakanade back to its sealed state and rests the blade on his shoulder, whistling with relief.<br/><br/>There is a long silence as Aizen clutches at the blade protruding from his chest. The Arrancar Lord tightens his grip, gasping in pain as he thrusts his chest forward, forcing his body off from Hyōrinmaru until the blade’s point slides out from his back. Hitsugaya watches in shock as Aizen stumbles several paces forward, blood spurting from his wound.<br/><br/>Shinji and Isshin look on with alarm. Ichigo is flummoxed by the sight. Aizen has freed himself from his impalement, but the maneuver looked suicidal.<br/><br/>Aizen grasps at the frozen hilt of Kyōka Suigetsu, casting his disdainful eyes back at Tōshirõ.<br/><br/>“I am insulted, Hitsugaya Tōshirō,” Aizen grits. “That you of all people thought you could end me?!”<br/><br/>Aizen whirls around, ripping Kyōka Suigetsu free from its scabbard. Shards of ice explode off from the katana’s hilt as the blade slices cleanly across Hitsugaya’s chest. The wings of Daiguren Hyōrinmaru crack and shatter as the 10th Division captain falls back, eyes glazed and torso erupting with a torrent of blood.<br/><br/>Aizen can feel a presence charging from behind him. He turns and parries a strike from Ukitake’s Kurushunagi Jibunōshippotaberu.<br/><br/><em>I don’t know if Aizen activated Kyōka Suigetsu before I released</em>, Ukitake thinks to himself as he dexterously whirls his spear against Aizen, his Bankai radiating a progression-negating field around them. <em>But if he didn’t, then we still have a chance.</em><br/><br/>Aizen grimaces, the wound in his chest spurting blood as he deflects the whirring strikes from Ukitake. The two combatants struggle back-and-forth as they fall from the sky, touching down on the street below. Ukitake whirrs his spear, jutting the black-fringed point towards the Arrancar Lord. A blast of energy erupts from the blade and knocks Aizen back several yards, the soles of his shoes scraping along the pavement. He casts a shadow on the road before him.<br/><br/>Aizen raises his Zanpakuto to retaliate, but a torrent of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi surges past and envelops his outstretched arm.<br/><br/>Byakuya touches down beside Ukitake, his eyes narrowed as he directs his countless blades to rip apart Aizen’s limb. The two captains watch as Kyōka Suigetsu clatters onto the ground. Aizen’s right hand has been minced down into a bloody stump.<br/><br/>Before Aizen can react, Kyōraku leaps up from the depths of his shadow and plunges the twin blades of Katen Kyōkotsu into his chest.<br/><br/>“How careless of you, Aizen,” Shunsui chides the Arrancar Lord, driving the duel scimitars deeper into his torso. “You always did cast a long shadow.”<br/><br/>Aizen’s eyes glaze over, his arms falling limp. Byakuya watches approvingly, remarking to Ukitake that their strategy seems to have worked.<br/><br/>“See, what did I tell you, Ichigo?” Isshin grins, looking down admiringly at his former comrades’ triumph. He notices that Ichigo is shaking, with Tensa Zangetsu rattling in his grip.<br/><br/>“G-guys…” Ichigo stammers, struggling to summon his breath. “You guys… JUST WHAT THE HELL DO YOU ALL THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”</p><p>Ukitake turns and slashes Byakuya across his neck. The 6th Division captain falls back, clutching at his throat. Gazing up, he sees that his assailant wasn’t Ukitake, but Aizen.<br/><br/>Shunsui’s eyes widen with horror as he finally recognizes who is truly standing before him. He has impaled Ukitake through the chest.<br/><br/>“Jūshirō!” Shunsui exclaims in a heartbroken whisper. The 8th Division captain feels a sword slip in between his shoulders, the point sprouting out from his chest. He looks back to see Aizen smirking at him.<br/><br/>“Before this is over, Aizen, I swear —“ Shunsui begins to promise, but Aizen rips Kyōka Suigetsu out from him, a torrent of blood following. Shunsui crumples to the ground, followed by Ukitake.<br/><br/>“Before this is over, you will welcome me as your God, Kyōraku,” Aizen retorts with a smile. “And you will weep with gratitude when I pardon you.”<br/><br/>Aizen looks over to Ukitake, who is hyperventilating and writhing on the ground, his eyes rolled back. There are two wide stab wounds in his chest and his right hand has been shorn down to a nub.<br/><br/>“Your wounds are not fatal, Kyōraku,” Aizen muses. “You and your fellow captains need not die today. I grant you this mercy so that you may serve me reverently in the coming era. However, I regrettably cannot extend the same courtesy to you, Ukitake Jūshirō.”<br/><br/>Ukitake is coughing, but it’s not blood spilling from his lips. It is a black, viscous fluid.<br/><br/>“Did you really think that Mimihagi would escape my knowledge?” Aizen asks, raising his katana. “Unfortunately, my reign cannot begin with you alive.”<br/><br/>Aizen swings his sword down. Before it can reach its mark, he is kicked aside with shattering force by Yoruichi Shihōin. He flies back, crashing through a row of buildings, Yoruichi bounding after him. The thundercat swings down the gauntlets of her Shikai, Hyōgenkotsu, and crashes them onto Aizen. He parries the strike and knocks her several paces away.<br/><br/>Yoruichi slides back, panting heavily. She notices that Aizen is bleeding from the wound that Hitsugaya had inflicted on him. <em>Was he not using Kyōka Suigetsu then?</em> she thinks to herself. She readies to pounce again, but the strain of her stance reopens the wound that Harribel had inflicted on her earlier. A ribbon of blood spurts out from her back.<br/><br/>The thundercat stumbles, her strength leaving her. Aizen flash-steps past her and she promptly collapses, a fresh laceration cut into her side.<br/><br/>“If only you had fought me fresh, Lady Shihōin,” Aizen grins. “You would have been an invigorating warmup.”<br/><br/>Suddenly, everything around Aizen inverts. He tenses, realizing that he is now in the thrall of Sakanade. A slash rips through his shoulder, Shinji flash-stepping around him. The Visored dons his mask to amplify his strength.<br/><br/>“What’s wrong, Aizen?” Shinji grits, working himself up into a fury as he lands another cut across Aizen’s leg. “Am I getting the better of you?”<br/><br/>Shinji dashes around his nemesis, thrusting his Zanpakuto in for the kill, only for the blade to phase through Aizen’s visage. The Visored grimaces as he feels Kyōka Suigetsu slash through his side. He falls to his knees, seething with hatred as Aizen strides away from him.<br/><br/>“My Complete Hypnosis controls all five sense, Hirako Shinji,” Aizen calls back with supreme condescension. “There is no world wherein your paltry illusion can compete with my power.”<br/><br/>“Aizen!” Shinji roars after his nemesis. “I’m not through with you!”<br/><br/>“But I am with you,” the Arrancar Lord replies, raising two fingers. “Hado #1: Shō.”<br/><br/>A kinetic pulse fires from his digits and strikes Shinji square in the forehead. The Visored falls back, out cold.<br/><br/>— –<br/><br/>Kon is clinging to the corner of a building like a cat, desperate to shield himself from the shockwaves that continue to ripple across Karakura Town.<br/><br/>Chizuru, Keigo, and Mizuiro urge “Ichigo” to come along as they brave their way through the ruined streets. They turn on a cross-street and see a herd of people marching several blocks over.<br/><br/>The group of high-schoolers approach the procession, only to realize that two of their friends are leading it: Tatsuki is irately barking directions at townspeople while Orihime takes on a more soft-spoken approach. Chizuru nearly has a nose-bleed when she sees Orihime in her Arrancar garb. She dashes over for a hug, only to be smacked aside by Tatuski — who orders all of her friends to get in line and follow them to safety.<br/><br/>Orihime locks eyes with Kon — she looks hopeful for a moment and then softens into disappointment.<br/><br/>“You’re Kon, aren’t you?” she asks the mod soul. He sheepishly admits that he is in a hushed voice so the others won’t hear, then asks her if she saw Ichigo in Hueco Mundo. Orihime wistfully nods that she did, but they were separated. She briefly reflects on the kiss and asks Kon to take care of Ichigo’s physical body.<br/><br/>“Just please keep him safe,” she asks sweetly.<br/><br/>Kon feels reassured by this directive — he never thought of his avoidance of danger as particularly heroic before.<br/><br/>Jinta and Ururu lead another herd of Karakura townspeople from the opposite direction, the two groups converging on the dome of Kidoō created by Tessai.<br/><br/>—<br/><br/>Tetsuzaemon Iba drags a grievously injured 4th Division healer before Retsu Unohana. The captain kneels down and begins to mend her subordinate’s injuries, thanking Tetsuzaemon for his help. They both perk up when they sense a presence approaching.<br/><br/>Chōjirō Sasakibe draws his blade and releases Gonryōmaru. The First Division lieutenant stands on guard with his rapier-shaped Shikai, requesting Unohana to retreat back to Captain-Commander Yamamoto. He leaps forward, dashing towards danger — only for Aizen to flash-step past him. Sasakibe crumples to the ground, a deep slash bleeding through his robes.<br/><br/>“I commend you for your gallantry, Sasakibe Chōjirō,” Aizen remarks with a smile. He sidesteps a slash from Iba and nonchalantly cuts the 7th Division lieutenant deep, leaving him incapacitated on the ground. “But your bravado is for nought — the result will be the same for all of you.”<br/><br/>Unohana keeps her eyes fixated on her unconscious patient. She refuses to look up as Aizen approaches. The Arrancar Lord halts within two yards of the kneeling 4th Division captain. There is a long silence shared between them.<br/><br/>“Has the time come for you to break your vow, Unohana Retsu?” Aizen asks.<br/><br/>“With your Kyōka Suigetsu in effect, do I even have a chance of landing a blow?” Unohana asks, her hands still busied with healing her patient.<br/><br/>“Of course not.”<br/><br/>“Then you would be a wasteful use of my blade, Aizen.”<br/><br/>There is another silence shared between them, and then a violent flash — Unohana has moved several paces in a blink, her Zanpakuto drawn and swiping at air, the shockwave from her swing peeling off the pavement from the road before her. She grimaces and then topples over with a curving slash etched into her side.<br/><br/>Aizen flicks the blood from his sword, giving an appreciative smile.<br/><br/>“You honor me, Captain Unohana,” he warmly remarks before continuing on his way.<br/><br/>Yamamoto watches Aizen nonchalantly approach. He observes that the townspeople have fled the immediate area — there isn’t a human in sight. That’s fortunate.<br/><br/>“The humans of Karakura Town need not perish today, Yamamoto Genryūsai,” Aizen proclaims, his eyes filled with vicious determination. “No more Shinigami blood need be shed. All you have to do is oblige me.”<br/><br/>The Arrancar Lord flash-steps before Yamamoto and drives his sword into the Captain-Commander’s gut. Yamamoto grins and grasps Aizen’s forearm in a vice-like grip.<br/><br/>“Foolish boy,” Yamamoto grits. “I’ve got you now.”<br/><br/>Aizen counters that Yama could very well be grabbing an illusion. The captain-commander concedes that this could be true, but that there is no mistaking the Reiatsu radiating from the sword in his gut.<br/><br/>Aizen feels Yama’s grip intensify. He gazes down at the captain-commander’s forearm and sees a scar running along the musculature. It’s what he came here for.<br/><br/>“The Ōken,” Aizen intones with awe. “I know that a key was embedded in your arm a thousand years ago, Yamamoto Gēnryusai. You are the only Shinigami who can reach the heavens from below. Grant me passage and there will be no executions of your flock.”<br/><br/>Yamamoto’s lips curl into a condescending grin. “I already told you, boy — you’re foolish!”<br/><br/>Yama’s scar cracks apart to reveal a forking surge of red light. “Hado #96,” he cackles. “Ittō Kasō!”<br/><br/>There is a blinding flash, followed by an enormous Katana-shaped pillar of red energy erupting into the sky. Residents outside of the blast radius scream as hurricane winds sweep past their homes, the ground shaking beneath them.<br/><br/>Aizen emerges from the blast, his Arrancar garb smoking. His right arm has been burnt to a crisp, horrific blisters running up from his shoulder and through his chest. The side of his face that took the brunt of the blast is now completely raw, the skin blistered and pink.<br/><br/><em>He was willing to sacrifice his own arm to dispose of the Ōken</em>, Aizen thinks to himself in a fury. <em>His loyalty always rested in Reiō before the Gotei or their human charges.</em><br/><br/>Aizen lands on a neighboring rooftop. He realizes too late that Isshin is lunging at him, the burly Shinigami swinging his sword down with ferocious force.<br/><br/>“Getsugaaaaa…. Tenshō!” Isshin cries as his Engetsu connects with Aizen’s shoulder. A torrent of blue flame erupts from his Zanpakuto, the shockwave cleaving through the building beneath them.<br/><br/>Aizen inspects himself with wide-eyed fascination: he has been partially bifurcated, with Engetsu wedged deep into his chest.<br/><br/>“Ichigo!” Isshin calls out. “Are my eyes deceiving me, or have I cut this bastard damn near in half?”<br/><br/>Ichigo stands several yards back, scrutinizing Aizen. He confirms that his father’s sword has indeed cleaved deep into Aizen’s torso, but something seems off. Aizen seems off — he doesn’t have the countenance of someone who fears defeat.<br/><br/>“Very astute, Kurosaki Ichigo,” Aizen smirks, arching his brow in admiration of the boy’s intuition.<br/><br/>Aizen launches himself back from Isshin’s blade — it rips out of him with a serrated grind. He skids back a yard, blood spurting from his shoulder.<br/><br/>Ichigo and Isshin warily regard Aizen like hunters approaching a wounded beast that can still bare its fangs. Ichigo can see that Aizen is in terrible shape: Hitsugaya truly did impale him through the chest, Yamamoto truly did burn his entire right side, and Isshin truly did cleave through him by a sizable depth. Aizen has sustained enough damage to be at death’s door.<br/><br/>“You’re a sturdy bastard, I’ll give you that,” Isshin concedes. “But you were reckless in the homestretch, Aizen. It may have taken everyone’s combined effort, but you are not getting much farther with those injuries.”<br/><br/>Aizen beckons Isshin to inspect his wounds more closely. The bloody patches on his body begin to bubble and stew — it looks like high-speed regeneration. The Arrancar Lord chides Isshin and Ichigo for suspecting that he would stoop to Hollowfication.<br/><br/>“This is merely a subservient organism protecting its host,” Aizen explains as he draws back his Arrancar garb to expose his chest. At the epicenter of his solar plexus is an orb radiating a strange Reiatsu, swollen veins filled with shimmering light forking out from its source.<br/><br/>“You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kidding me,” Isshin grumbles incredulously. “You absorbed the Hōgyoku?”<br/><br/>“Absorbed?” Aizen repeats back with amusement. “No, I subjugated it. After much resistance.”<br/><br/><em>We glimpse when Aizen welcomed Orihime into his chambers, his veins swollen and body weak.</em><br/><br/>“The Hōgyoku is a remnant of the Soul King, coaxed awake after countless years of slumber,” Aizen explains. “It refused to be subsumed, and would have killed me had I persisted. I wasn’t certain mastering it was possible until I witnessed Inoue Orihime’s gift.”<br/><br/><em>We glimpse when Aizen showed Orihime the Hōgyoku, the orb cracked and stained with blood. Later, as she heals Aizen a second time, she is unaware that the sphere rests beneath his robes. The cracks mend and it returns to its spherical perfection, embedded in Aizen’s rejuvenated chest.</em><br/><br/>“The Hōgyoku inflicted a corruption on my body that could not be mended through traditional healing techniques,” Aizen continues. “It was fortuitous, then, when I discovered Orihime’s ability to reject phenomena and undo the will of the gods. Her talent allowed me to broaden the scope of my vision.”<br/><br/>Ichigo is furious as he listens to Aizen brag about making Orihime an unwitting accomplice, but he also doesn’t understand what the Arrancar Lord means by “broaden the scope of my vision.” Isshin, however, gets it.<br/><br/>“So, after a century of recruiting Espada, you decided in the end that they were inconsequential, huh?” Isshin says contemptuously. “You treated them as lambs for slaughter. Their only job was to exhaust the Gotei 13 so you could face a weakened resistance all by yourself.”<br/><br/>Ichigo is taken aback. He’s never heard his father sound this smart before.<br/><br/>“What need is there for an army when you yourself become God?” Aizen replies with a thin smile. All of his wounds have now healed: even his face has returned back to its handsome symmetry.<br/><br/>“There’s just one problem left for you, Aizen,” Isshin says ruefully. “Repurposing the Hōgyoku like that means you can’t use it to create the Ōken. If your gambit was to use Old Man Yamamoto’s key, then it seems like you’re out of options.”<br/><br/>Aizen cocks his head with a coy smile.<br/><br/>“You clearly haven’t been paying close attention, ‘Captain Shiba,’” he replies cryptically. He looks past Isshin to hone in on Ichigo. The Substitute Shinigami feels his heart seize in his chest: he is afraid of the Arrancar Lord.<br/><br/>“Were you surprised to learn that your father was a Shinigami all along, Kurosaki Ichigo?” Aizen asks. “Have you wondered what else he has hidden from you? Or are you just that incurious?”<br/><br/>Ichigo is trembling. He doesn’t know how to process this line of questioning.<br/><br/>“You really ought to have told the boy what he is,” Aizen tells Isshin with malicious enjoyment. “Does he still believe that his Hollow originated from Urahara’s pit?”<br/><br/>Isshin clenches his jaw, the memory of the horned beast in the rain flitting through his mind.<br/><br/>“I see,” Isshin says softly. “Seems like we have a score to settle, then. Ichigo — fall back.”<br/><br/>“Dad, wait,” Ichigo halts. “You’re going to fight him alone?”<br/><br/>“That’s the idea,” Isshin tells his son. “Now fall back, and don’t let his words poison your mind, Ichigo!”<br/><br/>Ichigo levitates off from the rooftop, watching his father with a renewed sense of admiration. He suddenly senses an incoming strike and turns to parry a slash from Gin Ichimaru. The snake smiles at him, remarking that he’s in the mood to “put you to the test.”<br/><br/>Isshin and Aizen stare each other down for a beat. Their silence is broken when Isshin asks “Truth or Dare, Aizen?”<br/><br/>Aizen cocks an eyebrow. “A novel ultimatum,” he replies. “Is this something that you learned from the humans?”<br/><br/>“Aye,” Isshin nods with a warm smile as he recalls fond memories. “It’s a game my daughters love to play together. Now choose; truth or dare?”<br/><br/>“Very well, then. Truth.”<br/><br/>“Was it you who cut me, Aizen?” Isshin asks.<br/><br/>We glimpse at the moment when a mysterious figure slashed a younger Isshin in the back, hobbling him in his battle against the Monster.<br/><br/>“Yes, it was.”<br/><br/>“Alright, then,” Isshin grins. “Let’s try a Dare next, shall we? I dare you not to use Kyōka Suigetsu. See how long you can fare against me without your little parlor trick.”<br/><br/>Aizen is deeply amused by the suggestion. “You just witnessed me cut through the Gotei 13 like wheat, and you think you can fight me as an equal?”<br/><br/>Isshin runs the edge of Engetsu along his arm, cleanly slicing flesh. Blood trickles down his elbow as he muses aloud that Aizen fought tired combatants and used his hypnosis against the rest.<br/><br/>“Before you become a god, fight me like a man, Aizen.”<br/><br/>Isshin raises his bleeding arm and roars “Bankai! <em><b>Magumaburaddo Mikadzuki</b></em> (Magma Blood from the Crescent Moon)!”<br/><br/>The stream of blood ignites, the flame snaking around Isshin until he is encased in a fireball. He emerges from the blaze with Engetsu transformed into a red-hot katana: molten like it’s unfinished beneath the blacksmith’s hammer. His skin has become translucent; beneath it swirls viscous heat. His blood has literally become magma. He launches at Aizen and swings his sword down, the force of his strike collapsing the building beneath them. Their blades quiver as they struggle in a standstill, staring determinedly at each other.<br/><br/>—<br/><br/>Orihime and Tatsuki lead hundreds of people to Tessai’s barrier while Jinta and Ururu shepherd their flock from the other flank. Orihime reaches the wall of Kidoō and halts. She can feel so many of the Shinigamis’ Reiatsu drop.<br/><br/><em>So many people are hurt</em>, she thinks to herself. <em>It feels like it’s just Kurosaki-kun now, all alone.</em><br/><br/>Tatsuki passes through the barrier and turns back to give her friend a quizzical look, asking what’s wrong. Orihime gives Tatsuki a reassuring smile and asks her to continue leading the townspeople to Urahara’s shop.<br/><br/>“Those fighting for us need my help,” Inoue adds before turning heel and running back towards the battlefield.<br/><br/>Tatsuki watches her best friend charge towards danger. Keigo worriedly asks what Orihime thinks she’s doing.<br/><br/>“She’s helping... like she always does,” Tatsuki answers with a smile. “That’s just how Orihime is.”<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Ichigo and Gin land atop a pile of rubble while Isshin’s duel with Aizen echoes in the distance. Gin notes that it’s been a while since they last fought and asks Ichigo if he recalls their first encounter. The Substitute Shinigami replies that he remembers how emotionally withholding Gin’s sword felt. He elaborates that he can usually intuit an opponent’s interiority when locking blades with them, but that Gin’s sword felt obtuse, like it was closely guarding a secret.<br/><br/>Gin comments that Ichigo’s a creepy kid and sizes up the landscape behind them, concluding that whichever townspeople occupy the buildings in the distance are in for a bumpy ride. He hisses “Bankai” and unleashes Kamishi no Yari.<br/><br/>Their battle proceeds similarly to how it did in the Canon, with Ichigo struggling to deflect Gin’s extending blade, the slashes cleaving surrounding builds in half. We see civilians flee in terror as the floors above them slide and crumble. Ichigo is at first stunned by the length that the Bankai extends, but he gets really spooked when Gin demonstrates that the blade’s X-factor is its speed. Ichigo prioritizes blocking the blade from reaching more buildings filled with people. Gin relishes watching Ichigo struggle to fend off collateral damage.</p><hr/><p>Aizen bounds back from Isshin, intoning a Kidō incantation: “Hadō #82: Hyōga Seiren.” Torrents of ice erupt from his blade, surging down to envelop his pursuer.<br/><br/>“Atsuatsu Purūmu!” Isshin announces before pursing his lips together and blowing. A plume of heat with the velocity of a flamethrower erupts from his mouth, blowing a trail through Aizen’s ice storm. Isshin launches at him with his blade drawn, the molten katana dripping with Reiatsu. He swipes it horizontally and unleashes a scythe of steam that lights Aizen’s sleeves on fire.<br/><br/>The two struggling Shinigami crash through a building, emerging from the other end parrying and lashing at each other with ferocity. Aizen is agile and dexterous while Isshin is deliberate and propulsive — both of their blades clanging against each other. They land on the road, cratering the pavement beneath them. Aizen exerts his strength and drives Isshin’s blade into the ground, magma bubbling around the puncture. Isshin smiles broadly, steam firing out between his teeth. He rears up his fist.<br/><br/>“Kokuyōseki Genkotsu!” he bellows, a surge of heat gathering around the brunt of his knuckles. He unleashes a punch of volcanic magnitude, the strike connecting against Aizen’s chest and launching him back through an array of buildings. Aizen finally crashes into a sixth structure and, after a beat, bursts out from its rooftop, clutching at his chest.<br/><br/>Isshin flash-steps behind Aizen and swings, only for the Arrancar Lord to spin around and meet his strike. The two combatants lock swords, the heat radiating from Isshin’s body prompting Aizen to sweat profusely.<br/><br/>“Shiba Isshin,” Aizen smirks. “After your disappearance, the fortunes of your lineage fell entirely onto your cousin Kaien’s shoulders. He promptly died and your family fell as far as the Rukongai. I hope your desertion was worth it.”<br/><br/>Isshin, provoked by the taunt, flexes his weight and pushes Aizen back. He rears his sword back and charges a Getsuga Tenshō. With a mighty swing, he unleashes a blast that engulfs both of them, igniting a ring of blue fire. The slash has cleanly cut Aizen through the waist, splitting him apart. Isshin believes he has bisected the Arrancar Lord, but the two halves to evaporate like mist.<br/><br/>There is a devastating slash followed by an eruption of magma from Isshin’s chest. He gasps, spitting out flecks of flame as the red radiance of his katana dims and his Bankai disperses. His volcanic blood turns to smoke, billowing out from the laceration carved deep into his torso. His grip around Engetsu weakens until the sword slips from his hand. The blade plunges down and pins into the ground.<br/><br/>Isshin turns his head to face Aizen as the Arrancar Lord materializes behind him.<br/><br/>“When?” Isshin manages to ask, smoke escaping his lips. “When… did you release Kyōka Suigetsu?”<br/><br/>“An odd question,” Aizen replies. “To which I will ask you another: when were you under the impression that I wasn’t using it?”<br/><br/>Isshin’s strength gives out. He slips from consciousness and falls from the sky. Aizen watches him crash into the ground below.<br/><br/>“You challenged me to fight you ‘like a man,’ Shiba Isshin,” Aizen remarks to himself. “I am progressing beyond such pleasantries.”</p><hr/><p>Ichigo grinds back, managing to halt the progression of Kamishi no Yari with his Tensa Zangetsu. He senses Isshin’s Reiatsu take a nosedive; the distraction prompts his defensive stance to slip. Gin’s blade snakes past the broad of his black sword, extending in a blink and slicing through his cheek. The blade retracts back and returns to its stubby size, Ichimaru’s thin lips curling into a sick grin.<br/><br/>Ichigo looks back to the direction where his father has fallen.<br/><br/>“Dad…” he says softly under his breath. <em>When I thought I couldn’t go on, Dad’s confidence kept me steady</em>, he thinks to himself.<br/><br/>“I told ya.”<br/><br/>Ichigo whirls around and sees that Gin has already closed the distance between them, standing only five yards away.<br/><br/>“Y’all will never be ready for what Captain Aizen is,” Gin continues. “I figure it’s just down to you now, and you ain’t gonna cut it.”<br/><br/>Ichigo is in a cold sweat. He wants to disbelieve Gin’s taunts, but deep down he agrees with him.<br/><br/>“Wanna run?” Gin cheekily asks, prompting surprise from Ichigo. “No shame innit. Run away and let Captain Aizen do what he came here for. You’ve already given up, might as well save yer own hide.”<br/><br/>Ichigo doesn't respond. He is frozen in uncertainty.<br/><br/>Gin cranes his dead. “No?” he asks mockingly. “Well then, maybe I oughta just finish you off?”<br/><br/>The snake extends his arm, menacingly pointing his wakizashi-shaped Zanpakuto at Ichigo’s head. Suddenly, a current of frost whips onto his limb, stiffening the joints. Gin turns to see a grievously wounded Tōshirō Hitsugaya lunging at him, swinging his Shikai blade. Gin nimbly dodges the swipe.<br/><br/>“Whoa now, Captain Hitsugaya,” Gin mockingly implores. “I don’t wanna hurt ya.”<br/><br/>Hitsugaya is seeing red, gritting his teeth and bearing through the pain of his wounds as he ineffectually slashes at Gin. “You tormented her, you bastard!” he cries out. “You helped him torture and kill her!”<br/><br/>“Hitsugaya!” Ichigo cries out. “Behind you!”<br/><br/>There is a discrete slash and then silence as Hitsugaya’s onslaught halts. He falls, blood spurting from the fresh cut along his side: Aizen’s signature. The Arrancar Lord materializes behind him, faux-concern wrinkling his brow.<br/><br/>“Don’t overexert yourself, Hitsugaya Tōshirō,” Aizen chides the young captain. “You must not die today. I may still have a use for you in the future.”<br/><br/>Hitsugaya looks back at Aizen with pure hatred in his tear-stained eyes. He tries to summon the strength to continue, buckles, and then collapses in a heap.<br/><br/>Aizen turns his attention to his subordinate, querying “Gin, what were you doing with the Ryōka boy?”<br/><br/>“Just testing him for ya,” Gin replies. “He ain’t up to it.”<br/><br/>“Of course he isn’t,” Aizen concludes, casting his withering gaze back at a petrified Ichigo. “He continues to retreat from his power.”<br/><br/>Ichigo stands amidst the rubble, his hometown in shambles. He stares at Aizen with a mixture of awe and fear. After a beat, he is seized with a new emotion: anger.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="message-userContent lbContainer js-lbContainer hasThreadmark">
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    <p>“Tell me one thing, Aizen,” he grits. “How long?”</p>
    <p>“How long?” Aizen repeats back, brow arching.</p>
    <p>“How long have I been a part of your plan?” Ichigo roars, his anger growing beyond his fear. “That’s what Ulquiorra said. How long have you been playing me?”</p>
    <p>“I see,” Aizen says. “Allow me to be more truthful to you than your father or Urahara Kisuke ever were. It was after your showing in Soul Society, when your strength grew by leaps and bounds, that I became interested in you. Ulquiorra Cifer was charged with assessing your progress and drawing out your power at a pace that suited my design.</p>
    <p>“Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez’s interest in you was problematic, given his lack of restraint, so he was disciplined. However, his rivalry proved to be a fortuitous stepping stone towards you realizing your potential. The simple answer is that you became essential to my vision after I witnessed your strength, such as it was.”</p>
    <p>We briefly glimpse when Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu at Aizen on Sōkyoku Hill, only for the traitorous captain to block the blade with a single finger.</p>
    <p>“However,” Aizen continues. “I have been aware of you from the beginning.”</p>
    <p>“What does that mean?” Ichigo roars back. “The beginning? You mean when I met Rukia?”</p>
    <p>“No,” Aizen retorts. “I’ve known about you from the very beginning of your life, Kurosaki Ichigo.”</p>
    <p>Ichigo doesn’t understand.</p>
    <p>“Did you really think that your abundant spiritual awareness was coincidental?” Aizen queries. “Or that the pace of your progression was natural? That you prevailed over stronger opponents because of your willpower? Have you ever considered that if you truly were just a human… that your mother would still be alive?”</p>
    <p>The last jest strikes a chord of blinding rage within Ichigo. He poises Tensa Zangetsu and lunges forward at peak speed. Aizen effortlessly parries the strike and backhands Ichigo square across the face.</p>
    <p>Ichigo falls back, dazed by the slap. He readies to rebound, but Aizen punishingly strikes his chest with the pommel of Kyōka Suigetsu. Ichigo coughs a wad of blood and doubles over into a kneeling position, planting Tensa Zangetsu into the ground to steady himself.</p>
    <p>“Look at me, Kurosaki Ichigo,” Aizen commands.</p>
    <p>Ichigo gazes up at the Arrancar Lord in wide-eyed horror. Aizen holds Kyōka Suigetsu aloft; Ichigo’s reflection vividly shines from the blade’s gleaming surface.</p>
    <p>“If you must regard your gift as a curse, blame Urahara Kisuke,” Aizen says, his eyes imperious. “He is as responsible for your creation as I, and he saw fit to manipulate your life to a far more insidious extent. You have been a pawn in our game. I am merely claiming you from his possession.”</p>
    <p>Ichigo begins to feel woozy as he fixates on Kyōka Suigetsu, staring into his own reflection.</p>
    <p>“Time to confront yourself, Kurosaki Ichigo,” Aizen intones, his voice growing melodic. “Dominate your reflection or drown within.”</p>
    <p>Aizen’s eyes shine with demonic delight as he intones the terrifying words.</p>
    <p>“<em>Bankai</em>,” he coos. “<em><b>Mugenmagireru Akumanowana</b></em> (Infinite Plunge into the Devil’s Snare).”</p>
    <p>The color drains from Ichigo's face and his eyes glaze over. It’s as though his soul has been emptied from his body. He slumps over, his shoulder resting against Tensa Zangetsu. He is completely motionless, his face stamped with a chilling blankness.</p>
    <p>“What’re we gonna do now, Captain Aizen?” Gin asks.</p>
    <p>“We forge the Ōken,” Aizen replies, still gazing down at Ichigo’s immobile form. “Hopefully you didn’t slay too many humans while you were ‘testing’ the Ryōka boy.”</p>
    <p>They ready to head off, but halt when Hitsugaya calls after them.</p>
    <p>“What… did you do… to him?” the young captain rasps, struggling to maintain consciousness.</p>
    <p>“I sent him away” Aizen responds. “While Kyōka Suigetsu controls the five senses, Mugenmagireru Akumanowana submerges the mind entirely. Kurosaki Ichigo has gone where neither you or I can follow. He can either escape or wade beneath the surface of himself for eternity. I have left it entirely up to –”</p>
    <p>The Arrancar Lord realizes that Hitsugaya is already out cold. Softly chuckling, he turns and continues on his way with Gin following close behind. They leave Ichigo kneeling on the concrete, his eyes empty.</p>
    <p>The Substitute Shinigami shows no signs of life.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. THE WHITE INVASION: The Deicide</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The climactic installment of The White Invasion.</p>
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</p><p><br/> <iframe></iframe></p><p>Tessai sits cross-legged on the floor of Urahara’s shop, his brow furrowed in deep concentration as he maintains the barrier that now houses thousands of humans.<br/><br/>The store’s entrance slides open, Jinta and Ururu entering. Behind them is a throng of confused Karakura residents, all of them standing around and gazing up at the prismatic dome that is housing them from danger.<br/><br/>Jinta slams the entrance behind them, letting out a sigh of relief for a job completed. His eyes nearly bug out of his head when Karin and Yuzu both pop up from the service counter, loudly asking if it’s safe to go outside again.<br/><br/>“Shhhhh,” Ururu softly shushes them, placing a finger over her lips. “Please do not shout. If you break Mr. Tessai’s concentration, then there will be a greater chance that we and all of Karakura Town’s people will horrifically die.”<br/><br/>This warning promptly shuts the twins up, with Yuzu clapping her hands over her mouth in shame. Jinta, meanwhile, is thrilled to have Yuzu in the shop. He eagerly offers her all manner of products in the store for free, delivering his effusive pitch in a comical whisper. Ururu looks on disapprovingly, noting that they get too little business as it is without offering free merchandise.<br/><br/>Karin slides back down behind the register, face scrunched with worry while Yuzu is preoccupied by Jinta’s merchandise spotlight. We see that Isshin’s sleeping body is actually laying down next to her on the floor, snoring. The raven-haired Kurosaki daughter eyes her father’s human vessel, recalling their conversation from earlier.<br/><br/><em>We flashback to hours earlier, when Isshin plunked down behind the register counter with Karin and Yuzu, telling them that a very scary storm is coming into town and that they’re going to wait it out together in Mr. Urahara’s shop. He speaks in a very robotic manner that is uncharacteristic of him. Yuzu takes his instructions at face value and is delighted when he presents a board game to keep them occupied. Karin, meanwhile, looks concernedly towards the backroom.<br/><br/>The real Isshin, garbed in his Shihakushō with Engetsu slung around his waist, opens the hatch in Urahara’s living quarters to climb down into the shop’s expansive basement.<br/><br/>“Dad?”<br/><br/>Isshin looks up, his eyebrows raising when he sees Karin staring at him from the doorway. Father and daughter gaze at each other for an awkward beat.<br/><br/>“… Don’t tell your sister, Karin,” Isshin requests in a soft voice. “Her spiritual awareness isn’t like yours; it would only distress her.”<br/><br/>“Dad, what’s going on?” Karin asks, visibly nervous.<br/><br/>Isshin tries to think of a concise and honest explanation.<br/><br/>“There are bad people attacking our town,” he answers. “Your brother and I are going to stop them. I need you to stay put until this is over, okay? Keep your sister safe – that’s your job.”</em><br/><br/>Karin rests her head back against the counter, awash with anxiety as she reflects on her father’s instruction. <em>For a while there, it felt like Dad and Ichigo had come back</em>, she thinks to herself. <em>I can’t explain it, but I knew they were near again, but now… I don’t feel anything. Dad, Ichigo… where are you?</em></p><hr/><p>Ichigo is five-years-old and crying. He has just lost a fight.<br/><br/>“Don’t be a crybaby!” Tatsuki berates him, hands on her hips after having won soundly.<br/><br/>Ichigo continues to wallow in his helplessness. His inconsolable crying only ceases when he feels his mother’s hands caress his shoulders.<br/><br/>“Don’t cry when you lose, Ichigo,” Masaki Kurosaki says with radiant warmth. “Only cry when you’ve given up.”<br/><br/>Ichigo wipes away his tears and beams up at his mother. The Dojo surrounding them is hazy – as if it were painted with spare brushstrokes. The setting gradually melts away, transforming into Kurosaki Clinic.<br/><br/>Ichigo is 12-year-old and adjusting his tie as he readies to go to school. Who could that be? he thinks to himself as the doorbell rings repeatedly.<br/><br/>He cracks open the front door and is confronted by the most striking girl he’s ever seen: kind brown eyes and burnt orange hair. His awe quickly morphs into panic when sees the injuries on the man she is dragging behind her.<br/><br/>“You don’t understand – we don’t have the equipment to operate on him!” Ichigo tries to explain to the desperate girl as she drags the man inside the front hall. He reaches for the phone, adding “Look, I’m calling for an ambulance —“<br/><br/>The dying man contorts and rears up, letting out a bloodcurdling screech. The phone falls from Ichigo’s hand as he gazes in shock at the monstrous mask forming across the man’s face. The demonic creature roars and then turns its attention to the the orange-haired girl. She is frozen in fear.<br/><br/>“Stop!” Ichigo cries out, pouncing after the beast. Zangetsu materializes in his grip and he thrusts the oversized blade into the monster’s back. The Hollow writhes in agony and collapses onto the ground.<br/><br/>Ichigo watches the mask flake off from the beast, revealing the lifeless Sora Inoue beneath. The girl flings herself atop the slain man, sobbing hysterically as she hugs his body close.<br/><br/>“Please stop hurting him!” she whimpers, nuzzling herself against her dead brother’s chest.<br/><br/>Ichigo looks on in abject horror, speechless and tears forming in his eyes. His heart tightens when Orihime Inoue looks up from Sora’s body, her face the very picture of sunniness.<br/><br/>“It’s okay, Kurosaki-kun,” she smiles, her tears disappeared. “Thank you… for protecting me.”<br/><br/>Ichigo’s expression drops as the full weight of his guilt seizes him. He lets out a primal scream.<br/><br/>He is five-years-old again, sobbing uncontrollably in the Dojo.<br/><br/>“Ichigo?” Masaki asks with concern, her hands holding his shoulders. This is the first time she hasn’t been able to quell his crying. The mother kneels down and holds her boy close. “Ichigo, what’s wrong?”<br/><br/>Ichigo continues to sob.</p><hr/><p>Aizen arches an eyebrow as he assesses Tessai’s barrier, its border situated roughly 500 yards down the street. The Kidō encompasses eight square blocks, an entire herd of Karakura residents shielded behind it. It’s visible to human eyes – a pioneering feat on Tessai’s part.<br/><br/>“Gin,” Aizen says expectantly. Ichimaru draws his Shinsō and aims it at the prismatic dome. The blade extends at lightning speed, only for the tip of <em>Kamishini no Yari</em> to grind against the barrier’s surface, raking sparks. Gin frowns and retracts his sword back.<br/><br/>“Tsukabishi Tessai remains impressive as ever,” Aizen effuses. “Very well. The challenge of circumventing his Kidō should pass the time as we wait for Kurosaki —.”<br/><br/>A blast of red light pierces through Aizen, startling him and Gin. The Arrancar Lord inspects the smoldering hole in his shoulder, recognizing the attack as a modified variant on Hadō #4: Byakurai. <em>You always enjoyed adding your own personal flourish, Urahara Kisuke</em>, Aizen thinks to himself.<br/><br/>The Arrancar Lord turns and sees Kisuke Urahara gazing down at him from a rooftop vantage point. The shopkeeper holds onto his striped hat to keep it steady, his robes billowing in the wind. He is wearing an elaborate visor across his eyes, the headgear resembling infrared goggles.<br/><br/>“You’ve shown yourself at last,” Aizen says with a hint of relief. “I was beginning to worry that you had fled.”<br/><br/>Urahara turns a dial embedded in his mysterious visor. The red lenses dilate as he observes Aizen’s shoulder mending itself in rapid time.<br/><br/>“So it’s true,” Urahara concludes with a sigh. “You merged yourself with the Hōgyoku.”<br/><br/>“I subjugated it, yes,” Aizen replies haughtily. “I am not a benefactor of the Hōgyoku’s evolutionary properties: I am now its driver. Our experiment has finally born fruit.”<br/><br/>Urahara is silent for a beat, then responds “I always practiced humility in my experimentation, Aizen. You, on the other hand, have jammed something beyond our understanding inside of yourself and assume you can control it?”<br/><br/>“Indeed,” Aizen answers bluntly. “I can feel it transforming under my influence. It is growing to understand the desire within my heart and will soon elevate me beyond the plane of…”<br/><br/>Aizen loses his train of thought as he scrutinizes Urahara’s face, distracted by the eccentric-looking visor.<br/><br/>“What is that contraption?”<br/><br/>“Oh, this?” Kisuke replies cheerfully as he revs a dial on his elaborate headgear. “A new invention I call Arisubijōn. Been tinkering with it all week. I figure it’s about time I test it out.”<br/><br/>Urahara unsheathes Benihime from his cane and and assumes an offensive stance. He dives down, thrusting his Katana towards Aizen.<br/><br/><em>How arrogant of you, Urahara</em>, Aizen thinks to himself as he cloaks his body in his Shikai’s illusionary powers, readying to slash at Urahara from an unseen direction. <em>You presume that the effects of Kyōka Suigetsu do not reach you, but I made especially sure to ensnare you a century ago.</em><br/><br/>Aizen grins, almost disappointed by how swiftly he has won. He thrusts his katana forward, only for Urahara to whip around and parry the strike away.<br/><br/><em>What?!</em> Aizen exclaims internally. <em>How did he —?</em><br/><br/>Urahara launches a balletic onslaught of slashes and forces a shocked Aizen back on the defensive. The Arrancar Lord cloaks himself in Kyōka Suigetsu again and flash-steps discretely behind Urahara, expecting the shopkeeper to continue slashing at a mirage.<br/><br/>Instead, Urahara spins around and swipes Benihime clean across Aizen’s chest, letting fly a ribbon of blood.<br/><br/><em>How is he doing this?</em><br/><br/>Aizen leaps back, concealing himself once more with Kyōka Suigetsu. He flash-steps atop a streetlight 20 yards away, brow furrowed as he scrutinizes Urahara’s next move.<br/><br/>Urahara holds Benihime horizontally, staring down the illusionary decoy that Aizen planted before him. “Hado #32: Ōkasen!” the shopkeeper cries out, a radiant energy surging through his Zanpakutō. He pivots and aims his blade away from the decoy and directly at the real Aizen. A blast the width of Benihime’s length fires at the Arrancar Lord.<br/><br/>Aizen, shocked that Urahara didn’t fall for the mirage, assumes a guard stance too late and is swept up into sky by the Hadō. Growing irate, he exerts all of his strength and flings the Kidō away, his hands singed.<br/><br/>Aizen flash-steps back before Urahara, his eyebrow arched in skepticism. “How?” he seethes.<br/><br/>Urahara taps his visor.<br/><br/>“I see you,” he grins. “We’re both through the looking-glass now, Aizen. I figured you’ve actually been lying about your Complete Hypnosis: it doesn’t just manipulate the five senses, but Reiatsu perception as well. That’s the real masterstroke of your technique. So I built <em><b>Arisubijōn</b></em> here to observe the gradations of Reiatsu. Y’see, I took some inspiration from humanity’s scientists, who built something similar to see infrared radiation.<br/><br/>“Only problem is that I needed to watch you carefully for a long enough time so I could calibrate accordingly. I needed to watch you exert your Reiatsu and utilize Kyōka Suigetsu in order for me to understand how your spiritual presence changes under Complete Hypnosis.”<br/><br/><em>We briefly glimpse back to when Isshin released <b>Magumaburaddo Mikadzuki</b> and pounced on Aizen.</em><br/><br/>“Isshin challenged you because he knew I needed more time to study you in combat,” Urahara explains. “Even though he understood that victory was impossible with your Complete Hypnosis in effect, he fought you head on so that I could decipher your Reiatsu. I’m thankful he did, because your battle gave me the extra data I needed to fine-tune <em>Arisubijōn</em>.<br/><br/>“In short: your Complete Hypnosis will no longer work on me,” Urahara concludes.<br/><br/>Aizen listens to Urahara’s explanation with wide-eyed astonishment. His lips gradually spread into a delighted smile.<br/><br/>“It’s as I said a century ago, Urahara Kisuke,” the Arrancar Lord beams. “You truly are the man I thought you were.”</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>THE HUECO MUNDO DUNES - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong>
</p><p>The remaining Nakama all wait patiently amidst the dunes, the collapsed Seventh Tower looming behind them. Kenpachi sits back, scratching the point of his unnamed Zanpakutō into the dirt. Suí-Fēng is standing atop a boulder, her arms crossed as she scans the horizon.<br/><br/>Isane presses her hands to Rukia’s abdomen, emitting a healing energy while Renji sits close by, watching concernedly from the corner of his eye. Rukia is lost in worry, unable to get the look on Ichigo’s face out of her mind.<br/><br/><em>His eyes</em>, Rukia reflects wistfully. <em>They were filled with defeat, as if he was embarking on a fight that he already knew he would lose.</em><br/><br/>Rukia’s grimace softens as her wound closes up. She sits up and thanks Isane, patting her stomach.<br/><br/>“Listen, everyone,” Isane announces, rising up and making sure she has the group’s attention. “Each of you have had your wounds closed, but I couldn’t heal the full toll that today has taken on us all. Any more fighting before undergoing full recuperation could result in catastrophic damage, so I am urging all of you to exercise restraint until a rescue party comes for us.”<br/><br/>The healer looks to Ishida, who remains paralyzed from the neck down and propped against a rock. She gives him a sympathetic smile, adding “You in particular must rest, Ishida Uryū.”<br/><br/>Ishida forces a polite smile back, only to hear Mayuri Kurotsuchi cackle.<br/><br/>“You have a pernicious habit of pyrrhic victories, Quincy!’ Mayuri snarks as he rummages through his oversized cart of technological loot, taking inventory. “My, my, my. A Quincy aiding Shinigami in battle…”<br/><br/>The captain gazes back at Uryū, his eyes filled with sadistic enjoyment.<br/><br/>“… What would your grandfather think?”<br/><br/>Ishida’s face is bristling with rage. If he could lunge at Mayuri, he would.<br/><br/>“Tell me, did any of you know?” Uryū shouts, drawing the attention of the entire group. His eyes survey all of the Shinigami present, scrutinizing them accusingly. “Do you know what he’s done? What he did to countless Quincy?”<br/><br/>Chad, Renji, Rukia, and Yachiru look on wide-eyed as they see the emotion in Ishida’s eyes. Yumichika casts him disinterested side-eye while Isane and Ōmaeda avert his gaze altogether. Kenpachi continues to look down at the dirt while Suí-Fēng keeps scanning the horizon. Nemu looks upon Ishida with a placid expression while Mayuri continues to file his inventory, a demented smile curling along his lips.<br/><br/>“He dissected them while they were still breathing!” Ishida cries out, fire in his eyes. “Tortured them to death just to sate his own sick curiosity! Crimes that were sanctioned by Soul Society! And for what —?”<br/><br/>“For the security of the Seireitei,” Suí-Fēng interjects curtly. Ishida falls into stunned silence as Suí-Fēng looks back at him. Her expression is unmoved.<br/><br/>“Captain Kurotsuchi is the reason why we were able to smuggle Kurosaki Ichigo back to the world of the living,” she continues. “He is granted broad discretion because his intellect is necessary for Soul Society’s continued survival. Why do you think Aizen never bothered trying recruiting him to his cause? Because Captain Kurotsuchi is loyal to the Gotei 13 and serves its interests. You think that matters less to us than the lives of Quincy? Captain Kurotsuchi’s hobbies are tolerated for one very good reason: he doesn’t fail…”<br/><br/>Suí-Fēng casts an icy glare at the grinning Mayuri.<br/><br/>“… Except, of course, when it comes to creating a Garganta that works.”<br/><br/>Mayuri’s brow furrows. “You’re not going to live that one down, eh?” he gripes before returning to filing his inventory.<br/><br/>Suí-Fēng returns to scanning the Hueco Mundo horizon, paying no heed to the devastation in Uryū’s eyes. Renji and Rukia fall into reflective silence, both of them ashamed by Suí-Fēng’s answer without disagreeing with its wisdom. Chad kneels beside Ishida, resting a hand on the Quincy’s shoulder.<br/><br/>“Uryū…” the gentle giant says softly, but Ishida turns his face away, eyes full of rage. He doesn’t want to speak any longer.<br/><br/>The tense mood amongst the group is interrupted when the ground beneath them starts to tremble. A chariot pulled by a pack of Menos erupts from beneath the sand, encircling the group. The carriage is piloted by a pair of female Arrancars bedecked in Centurion-esque helms, both of them armed with spears and gazing down imperiously at the Nakama. Dozens of enormous Adjuchas sprout from the surrounding dunes. The crew is surrounded.<br/><br/>“Intruders!” one of the Centurion Arrancar bellows, brandishing her spear from her chariot perch. “On the orders of Lady Harribel, all of you are to leave Hueco Mundo immediately!”<br/><br/>Kenpachi rises up, slinging his sword over his shoulder. “Eh?” he growls. “Lady Who?”<br/><br/>A sinkhole the diameter of a sewer grate forms before the Nakama. From the sifting sands rises Tier Harribel and Mila Rose, both of them nursing their wounds from the Karakura Town invasion. The Tercera Espada, struggling to stand, leans against her sole surviving Fracción member.<br/><br/>“I am Tier Harribel,” the Vasto Lorde announces authoritatively, remaining poised despite her exhaustion. “I will grant you safe passage out of Hueco Mundo, but on the condition that you vow never to return. Las Noches will no longer fight Aizen’s war.”<br/><br/>The other Centurion Arrancar points her spear at Mayuri’s cart, adding “And you will leave behind what belongs to Las Noches.”<br/><br/>Mayuri’s eyes nearly pop out from his ornamented head. He shields the cart with his body and hisses in protest.<br/><br/>“I acquired these spoils of war honestly, Arrancar!” he roars. “I will not relinquish them so easily.”<br/><br/>Harribel glares at Mayuri for a beat, sizing him up. “You may take what you can carry,” she concludes. “The rest will stay.”<br/><br/>The 12th Division captain readies to protest further, but Suí-Fēng shoots him a rueful look.<br/><br/>“We’ve been offered a bargain, Captain Kurotsuchi,” she says sternly. “Do as they say.”<br/><br/>Mayuri grits his teeth and relents, hissing at Nemu to pack as many items onto her person as she can manage. He plans to return directly to Soul Society and inspect his acquisitions.<br/><br/>“The rest of us will go to the World of the Living,” Suí-Fēng announces, determination in her eyes. She looks to Harribel. “Judging from your wounds, I’m guessing that you just returned from the battle?”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Harribel nods. “The Espada have been defeated, but the odds remain against you with Aizen on the battlefield.”<br/><br/>Rukia and Renji are chilled by this warning. Chad closes his fist and squeezes, eager to defend his hometown. Uryū, however, is confused.<br/><br/>“Why are you helping us?” the Quincy asks.<br/><br/>Harribel’s eyes narrow, her jaw clenching with fury.<br/><br/>“Aizen betrayed all the Arrancar he pressed into his service,” the Vasto Lorde answers. “Kill him, and Las Noches will be grateful.”</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>KARAKURA TOWN - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong>
</p><p>Aizen and Urahara dash across the Karakura skyline, their katanas clashing in a succession of parries and ripostes. They land on a rooftop and struggle against each other, asserting their weight onto their interlocking blades.<br/><br/>“You may have devised a way to circumvent Kyōka Suigetsu…” Aizen muses before flexing his full might, forcing Urahara back a step. The shopkeeper flash-steps behind Aizen, readying a thrust. The Arrancar Lord whirls around and swings his Kyōka Suigetsu from below; the edge of the katana slices along the concrete and arcs up into Urahara’s gut, impaling him.<br/><br/>“…But ingenuity alone cannot bridge the difference in our strength,” Aizen concludes with a smirk. His gloating ceases when Urahara starts to deflate like a punctured balloon.<br/><br/>Aizen, startled and unamused, watches as Urahara comically contracts around his katana with a gasbag-like squeak – it’s a portable Gigai. He looks up and sees the real Urahara looming in the sky, pointing Benihime directly at him.<br/><br/>“Bakudō #63!” Urahara cries out. “Sajō Sabaku!”<br/><br/>A chain of light snakes around Aizen’s legs, binding his feet to the rooftop. He looks up with annoyance as Urahara readies another Kidō: “Bakudō #79: Kuyo Shibari!”<br/><br/>Aizen’s limbs arms involuntarily spread apart as if by magnetism. Eight black holes sprout around him, the largest centering on his chest. The Arrancar Lord struggles to wriggle out of his bind, but to no avail.<br/><br/>“So you have me at your mercy,” Aizen grits. “But I survived Yamamoto’s Hadō. How do you plan on summoning enough power to kill me?”<br/><br/>“Actually, I figured your own power would do the trick,” Urahara replies, cheekily tipping his cap.<br/><br/>Aizen’s eyes widen with apprehension as his wrists start to glow with cuffs of pulsating energy. “What is this?!”<br/><br/>“Fūsatsu Kakei,” Urahara announces. “Y’know how all Shinigami vent their Reiatsu from their wrists? I plugged yours during our fight. The Bakudō restraints are just to ensure you can’t dig out the seals before you’re cooked from within by your own Reiatsu.”<br/><br/>Aizen’s eyes widen with panic. His body flares into an all-encompassing explosion, obliterating the building beneath him. The eruption rises up into the sky, its shockwave shaking the entire town.</p><hr/><p>Ichigo is now nine-years-old and wearing a funereal suit. He stands next to his father and two sisters, staring blankly at his mother’s gravestone, where she has just been interred. It’s raining.<br/><br/>“Karin and Yuzu have been a grrrreat help around the household!” Isshin cheerfully tells the gravestone, regaling his newly departed wife with updates on the family. “Girls, tell Mommy about how you’ve mastered chores like blackbelt buskers!”<br/><br/>Karin and Yuzu take turns recounting their day-to-day to their mother’s grave, their father’s positive attitude rubbing off on them. Ichigo, however, just stares with gaunt eyes.</p><hr/><p>The Kurosakis have returned to their household, which has yes to become a neighborhood clinic. A spoil of condolences from the neighborhood are laid out on their stoop. The rain has ceased, but there’s no rainbow in the sky.<br/><br/>Ichigo sits outside on the street, perched on the curb and gazing blankly at the pavement. A boy with shaggy black hair sits beside him.<br/><br/>“So what is the Final Getsuga Tenshō?” the strange boy asks.<br/><br/>“Hm?” Ichigo responds, snapping out of a trance. “Um… I’m not sure.”<br/><br/>“Huh, that’s strange,” the boy says. “… I thought you knew.”<br/><br/>Inside the household, Isshin whistles cheerfully to himself as he swishes a roller up and down against the kitchen wall, creasing in an enormous poster of Masaki smiling until it adheres to its surface.<br/><br/>“Daddy… don’t you think that’s a little much?” Karin asks from the other room.<br/><br/>“Nonsense!” Isshin replies in a singsong voice. “Now your Mother can watch us every day, blessing us with that smile during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”<br/><br/>Isshin gazes up at his late wife’s picture for a beat. He sets down the roller, collects an assortment of dirty dishes from the kitchen table, and carries the pile over to the sink – away from Karin and Yuzu’s eye-line. He turns the faucet on full-blast and begins to wash the dishes, silently crying.<br/><br/>Karin and Yuzu stare out of the living room window, watching Ichigo out on the street.<br/><br/>“How long d’you think Ichigo’s gonna stay out there?” Yuzu wonders.<br/><br/>“Beats me,” Karin replies. “… But whose that boy he’s sitting with?”<br/><br/>Yuzu looks to her sister with confusion: “What boy?”<br/><br/>Ichigo hugs his knees close to himself, casting his forlorn eyes at the ground.<br/><br/>“So what’s it like…?” he asks the boy beside him, “… being dead?”<br/><br/>“It kinda feels the same as being alive,” the Plus answers. “Except… this doesn’t feel like home anymore.”<br/><br/>“Karakura Town doesn’t feel like home?”<br/><br/>“No, it’s not just that,” the Plus elaborates. “It’s the whole world. The air feels angry at me, like it doesn’t want me around anymore.”<br/><br/>Ichigo mulls the answer over for a beat. “Maybe…” he mumbles, “… maybe that’s why she left in a hurry. When I woke up, she was already gone. Maybe this just didn’t feel like home to her anymore. Maybe I didn’t feel like her son anymore, either.”<br/><br/>The Plus casts Ichigo a sympathetic look. “Sorry about your Mom.”<br/><br/>The setting around Ichigo melts away and reforms into the river where Masaki died. Ichigo is now 10-years-old, sitting in the mud and gazing out at the rushing water. He doesn’t notice Tatsuki worriedly watching him from the road overhead.<br/><br/><em>How long have I been here? </em>Ichigo wonders to himself. <em>Mom… If I stop waiting, will you come back here and find yourself alone, wondering why I wasn’t just a little more patient?</em></p><hr/><p>15-year-old Ichigo is in class, realizing that he’s been daydreaming. Chin in hand, he gazes up from his desk to his teacher, who has an indiscernible face and is droning on with words that he can’t decipher. The lesson plan is scrawled out in chalky Kanji on the blackboard: <em>WHAT IS THE FINAL GETSUGA TENSHŌ</em>?<br/><br/>Ichigo realizes that he is only one of two students in the class. There’s a girl with black hair seated several rows before him. His eyes fixate on her until she notices his stare. She cranes her head back and stares right back at him, prompting his blood to run cold: it’s the “girl” he saw that day by the river: Grand Fisher’s Lure.<br/><br/>Ichigo springs up from his desk, knocking over his chair. He hurriedly exits the classroom, the Lure watching him leave with a demented smile. He slams the door behind him and stumbles out into the hallway, struggling to steady his breathing.<br/><br/>“Ichigo?” a warm voice calls out.<br/><br/>Ichigo turns and sees his mother standing before exit doors at the end of the hall. She is smiling at him. He smiles back.<br/><br/>The doors behind Masaki swing open, a wave of viscous darkness splashing out, rapidly rising until she and Ichigo are submerged up to her knees.<br/><br/>Ichigo looks around in confusion as the pool of black spills past him. A chill runs up his spine when he sees the void of black yawning behind his mother. A horned silhouette emerges from the emptiness: it is the Hell Knight, White.<br/><br/>“Mom!” Ichigo cries out, sprinting forward through the pool of black.<br/><br/>The Hell Knight widens its serrated jaws and snaps them shut around Masaki’s neck. The horned beast launches back into the void, dragging her along with it. Ichigo determinedly dives in after them, plunging down into a chasm of infinite darkness.</p><hr/><p>Urahara watches as the heat of Fūsatsu Kakei subsides, its light reflecting off of his visor. Amid the plumes of smoke levitates a charred Aizen, his limbs smoldering like cinders. The Arrancar Lord gasps for breath, blood spurting from his ruined body. He begins to contort, the Hōgyoku throbbing within the epicenter of his chest. Urahara watches as tangles of glowing veins scrawl out across Aizen’s body, swelling around his grievous wounds.<br/><br/>Aizen writhes in agony, gritting his teeth while his injuries bubble like a boiling cauldron. His grunts subside as his body speedily mends, returning back to its peak form. He smiles.<br/><br/>“The Hōgyoku serves its master faithfully,” Aizen gloats, stabbing his pinched fingers into his wrists and pulling out the Kidō seals Urahara had implanted. “Your magnificent technique would have felled me had I endured it as a mere Shinigami. Bravo.”<br/><br/>Aizen crushes the seals in his palm, the bloody punctures in his wrists swiftly closing.<br/><br/>“The praise really isn’t necessary, Aizen,” Urahara insists, some edge in his voice.<br/><br/>“It is not praise, but fascination,” Aizen replies. “You intrigue me, Urahara Kisuke. You are the only other Shinigami whose intellect rivals my own. Yet despite your brilliance, you choose to be… servile.”<br/><br/>“Servile?” Urahara repeats back with amusement. “I don’t serve anyone in particular, Aizen. I’m just a humble shopkeeper.”<br/><br/>“It matters not,” Aizen continues. “That last maneuver only demonstrated that your talents no longer pose a threat to me. The only challenge that this world has left for me is Kurosaki Ichigo.”<br/><br/>Urahara assumes a guard stance, his jaw clenched tight. “Speaking of which… what did you do to him, Aizen?”<br/><br/>“Have you developed a newfound concern for the boy’s wellbeing?” Aizen smirks. “Or are you merely curious about the mechanics of my Bankai?”<br/><br/>“I got a feeling you really wanna brag about it,” Urahara replies icily. “No harm in explaining, right?”<br/><br/>“True,” Aizen nods in agreement. “If Kyōka Suigetsu makes one distrust their own subjectivity, then Mugenmagireru Akumanowana drowns them in it. Imagine an impregnable trap wherein the prisoner must forge their own key to escape. It is an ‘infinite’ interment, wherein a minute for us proceeds at the pace of years for the captive. Kurosaki Ichigo has already lived his lifetime several times over while we have fought here in the World of the Living.”<br/><br/>“That’s a pretty cruel torture, Aizen,” Urahara retorts. “How is he supposed to get out?”<br/><br/>“There are two layers of captivity that Kurosaki Ichigo must break through if he is to return,” Aizen continues. “The first is <em><b>Kokoro no Ori</b></em> (Cage of the Heart)…”</p><hr/><p><em>I can reach you</em>.<br/><br/>Ichigo plunges headfirst into the void, extending his hand out for Masaki. She persistently exceeds his reach, the Hell Knight dragging her down determinedly into the bottomless depths.<br/><br/><em>I can still reach you, Mom</em>, Ichigo thinks to himself.<br/><br/>“Kokoro no Ori submerges the prisoner in the fathoms of their own mind, wherein they are tempted to wallow in the farthest recesses of their memory,” we hear Aizen explain.<br/><br/>Ichigo’s fingers extend outwards until they strain. His eyes are wide with yearning as he reaches out for his mother, content to never cease chasing after her.<br/><br/>“If Kurosaki Ichigo becomes enthralled by the phantoms of his past,” we hear Aizen add, “then he will never escape.”</p><p>Ichigo continues to plummet into the infinite darkness, tears of desperation streaking down his cheeks as he refuses to give up. It feels like years have passed. He doesn’t care.<br/><br/><em>I’m so close. I’m so close, Mom</em>.<br/><br/>Mazaki gazes up at him, the Hell Knight’s jaws taut around her shoulder.<br/><br/>“Ichigo,” Mazaki speaks, breaking a silence that had felt endless. “… Let me go.”<br/><br/>“What?” Ichigo gasps, his voice cracking. “But… I can save you, Mom.”<br/><br/>Masaki extends up her hand, her fingertips grazing his. Her touch sends a bolt of indescribable warmth through him.<br/><br/>“My brave, sweet boy... I need you to protect them."<br/><br/>Ichigo chokes on his breath.<br/><br/>“They're all counting on you,” Masaki concludes. “You have to let me go.”<br/><br/>Ichigo can now remember everyone’s faces: Isshin, Karin, Yuzu, Orihime, Chad, Tatsuki, Ishida, Chizuru, Keigo, Mizuiro, and Rukia.<br/><br/>Ichigo’s face is stained with tears. He halts, feeling Masaki’s fingertips slip from his. She gives him a reassuring smile. He stands suspended in the void, watching as his mother and the Hell Knight plunge into the bottomless depths, receding from his reach. Both become a distant glimmer and then disappear into the black.<br/><br/>“Thank you, Mom,” Ichigo whispers, clenching his fist tightly.<br/><br/>After taking a moment to collect himself, he begins swimming back up to the light. He reaches it in a surprisingly short amount of time, emerging from the void and back into the Karakura High School highway. He trudges past the array of lockers, struggling to remember what he came here for. He looks out the window and is surprised to see that the entire town is submerged underwater. He approaches the window, inspects it, and then punches the glass. A torrent of water gushes into the hallway as he crawls out into the open sea. To his surprise, he can breathe in these watery depths.<br/><br/>“If Kurosaki Ichigo succeeds in escaping from Kokoro no Ori…” we hear Aizen narrate, “… then he will ascend to the next level: <em><b>Seishin no Ori</b></em> (Cage of the Spirit).”<br/><br/>Ichigo wades through this mysterious underwater realm, recognizing all of the buildings as Karakura Town. He touches down onto a rooftop, marveling at how he’s able to draw breath.<br/><br/>“It takes getting used to, doesn’t it?” a voice calls down to him from above. Ichigo looks up to see a hooded figure, hands in their pockets.<br/><br/>“What is this place?” Ichigo asks. “And who are you?”<br/><br/>“Do you not recognize your own Inner World?” the figure responds sternly. He draws back his hood, revealing a slim young man with a black mop of hair and piercing blue eyes. He looks like a much younger Zangetsu.<br/><br/>“I don’t blame you for not recognizing me,” the stranger says, the black katana of Tensa Zangetsu materializing in his grip. “This is your first time here in a state of Bankai.”<br/><br/>The stranger throws Tensa Zangetsu down like a javelin. The black katana plants into the ground before Ichigo. He doesn’t recognize it.<br/><br/>“Take it,” the stranger commands.<br/><br/>Ichigo gingerly reaches out and wraps his hand around the handle of the sword. The moment his fingers close around it, he is flooded by a barrage of memories: being shot through the chest by Ulquiorra’s Cero Oscuras; transforming into the Hell Knight and stabbing Rukia through the abdomen; fighting Gin in Karakura Town; Aizen casting some sort of spell over him. He gasps, remembering everything now.<br/><br/>“How… how long have I been here?” he asks, unable to comprehend the journey he just underwent.<br/><br/>“Centuries, but I suspect that mere minutes have passed in the World of the Living,” the stranger answers.<br/><br/>Ichigo is horrified, struggling to wrap his mind around the time paradox. “Are you… Zangetsu?” he asks.<br/><br/>“No,” the stranger replies, generating another black katana in his grip. “Recall the name of your Bankai. I am Tensa Zangetsu.”<br/><br/>The Zanpakutō spirit dives down and swings his blade, startling Ichigo. The Substitute Shinigami struggles to parry.<br/><br/>“Hold on, Zangetsu!” Ichigo protests. “I’m not here to fight you!”<br/><br/>“No,” Tensa Zangetsu replies. “You came here to ask me a question.”<br/><br/><em>I did?</em> Ichigo thinks to himself. He pauses and reflects on what his question could possibly be. It suddenly comes to him: “What is the Final Getsuga Tenshō?”<br/><br/>“It is my ultimate technique,” the spirit replies. He swings his Katana, forcing Ichigo to dodge once again. “But I will teach you no such thing.”<br/><br/>“What the heck is wrong with you?” Ichigo barks back, his fighting spirit rekindling. “If it’s the strongest attack you got, then I need to learn it to save Karakura Town!”<br/><br/>Ichigo swerves after Tensa Zangetsu and readies a swing. He is stunned when his Zanpakutō spirit reaches him in a flash and restrains his arm with little effort.<br/><br/>“Make no mistake, Ichigo,” the spirit says coldly. “What you want to protect and what I am willing to protect are very different things.”<br/><br/></p><hr/><p>“What is Seishin no Ori?” Urahara asks Aizen.<br/><br/>“The Shinigami's Inner World,” the Arrancar Lord smirks. “Where the prisoner’s own Zanpakutō spirit is poised against him. He must subjugate his own power or be destroyed by it.”<br/><br/>“Well, you’ve plunked Kurosaki down into quite the obstacle course,” Urahara whistles. “What happens if he clears the challenges?”<br/><br/>“Then he will escape, having grown into the worthy opponent I require,” Aizen answers.<br/><br/>“And if he doesn’t?”<br/><br/>“Well… I do have the ability to retrieve him if I so wished,” Aizen muses. “But if he cannot break free by his own accord, then he is a disappointment. There would be little point in freeing him. You see, Mugenmagireru Akumanowana is as much a training ground as it is a dungeon. Only two other Shinigami have contended with its snare: one continues to flounder beneath the depths of damnation while the other broke through their limitations and escaped, having reached the pinnacle of power that a Shinigami can attain.”<br/><br/>“And who was this fortunate escapee?” Urahara asks, already having a good guess at the answer.<br/><br/>Aizen grins, pressing a hand to his chest.<br/><br/>“Myself.”</p><hr/><p>Orihime Inoue halts, stunned by the carnage before her. Several Gotei 13 captains are sprawled out on the ground, grievously wounded and unconscious. Healers from the 4th Division hover over the injured, nervously trying to mend their injures with Kaidō.<br/><br/>Hanatarō Yamada kneels before Byakuya Kuchiki, attempting to mend the slash across the captain’s throat. The healer looks up and recognizes Orihime, calling out to her.<br/><br/>Orihime sidles up next to him, alarmed by the scarlet tear along Byakuya’s neck.<br/><br/>“Kuchiki-san, let me help you,” she says, only for Byakuya to reach up and grasp her forearm.<br/><br/>“No…” Byakuya rasps. “… Uk… Ukitake…”<br/><br/>Orihime looks over to Jūshirō Ukitake, who is sprawled unconscious on the ground with a fleet of healers trying to mend his horrific wounds: his right hand has been shorn off and there are two broad stab wounds in his chest. Sentarō Kotsubaki is kneeling next to his captain, nervously monitoring the efforts to revive him.<br/><br/>“Please tend to Captain Ukitake first, Miss Inoue,” Hanatarō implores. “The way things are going so far… he won’t make it.”<br/><br/>Orihime nods and rushes over to Ukitake, kneeling down amongst the healers. One 4th Division member casts her a dismissive look and orders her to stand back while they work.<br/><br/>“She’s the best shot we got at saving Captain Ukitake,” Sentarō interjects. “Clear out and let her help.”<br/><br/>The healers reluctantly hang back, all of them promptly astonished when they see Orihime cast Sōten Kisshun over Ukitake.</p><hr/><p>Ichigo leaps at Tensa Zangetsu, roaring as their identical katanas clash. The spirit gives a withering glare, unimpressed, and effortlessly forces Ichigo back several paces. The Substitute Shinigami becomes visibly angry, struggling to understand why Zangetsu is hostile.<br/><br/>“Is this because of Aizen?” he asks. “He turned you against me! Is that the deal?”<br/><br/>Tensa Zangetsu frowns, almost insulted.<br/><br/>“Aizen’s spell has not affected me whatsoever,” the spirit declares. “However sophisticated his technique, it is still a Bankai. When one Zanpakuto attempts to infect another, trickery will fail if the difference in power is stark enough.”<br/><br/>Ichigo’s eyes widen as he considers the implication.<br/><br/>“Aizen cannot compel me to do as he wishes…” Tensa Zangetsu concludes, “…because my power far exceeds his.”<br/><br/>The black katana begins to rattle in Ichigo’s grip. He's furious.<br/><br/>“So… you’re strong enough to beat Aizen… and you have the free will to help me… but you won’t?” the Substitute Shinigami grits. “Zangetsu, that’s… THAT'S TOTAL BULLSHIT! Why did you bring me this far if you're just gonna refuse me now? Answer me, Zangetsu!”<br/><br/>“What obligates me to help you?” Tensa Zangetsu counters. “I had the strength to resist Aizen, but clearly you didn't. After losing faith in your own abilities, you dare demand that I lend you mine?”<br/><br/>“Lost faith?” Ichigo repeats back. “What are you talking about?”<br/><br/>“Look at this world!” Tensa Zangetsu cries indignantly, jutting his hand out to gesture at the watery dystopia surrounding them. “This towering world of yours that was filled to the heavens with hope, has been reduced to your tiny little town! The rain that once poured down on this world may have stopped, but now it’s been sunk down to the bottom of the ocean!”<br/><br/>Ichigo recoils as he recognizes the truth in Tensa Zangetsu’s words: his Inner World has changed drastically for the worse.<br/><br/>“All because you lost hope and stopped moving forward,” Tensa Zangetsu concludes.<br/><br/>The spirit zips before Ichigo and plunges a hand into his chest, digging for something inside of his heart. Ichigo gasps, hacking up blood as he is helplessly rummaged through.<br/><br/>“I refuse to let you linger in this hopelessness, Ichigo,” Tensa Zangetsu says. “I will rip out the roots of your despair.”<br/><br/>Tensa Zangetsu draws his hand back, pulling a wad of matter from Ichigo with a bloody splash. Ichigo cries out in excruciating pain as he feels a piece of himself extracted and tossed away. He opens his eyes and sees what Tensa Zangetsu ripped out: White, the Hell Knight. The beast stands several gory paces behind Tensa Zangetsu, with its own black katana in hand. It opens its maw and lets out a bloodcurdling roar. Ichigo's eyes widen with paralyzing fear.<br/><br/>"You have failed to compel me, Ichigo," Tensa Zangetsu concludes, planting his Bankai blade into the ground. "Try and convince him."<br/><br/>"Wha –?" Ichigo gasps. He immediately finds himself blocking a seismic strike from White. The horned Hollow screeches in the Substitute Shinigami's face before whipping around its blade, forcing him to desperately parry its lightning slashes.<br/><br/>Tensa Zangetsu passively watches as Ichigo and the Hell Knight launch from the building, with nothing but the ocean depths supporting them as they clash. The beast knocks Ichigo back several passes and lets out another sonic scream. Ichigo, head bowed and fed up, squeezes the handle of his katana with rage.<br/><br/>"Alright... if this is how it's gonna be..." the Substitute Shinigami seethes. "... then... COME ON!"<br/><br/>Ichigo launches at his demonic reflection, ready to destroy it once and for all.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>KARAKURA TOWN</strong>
</p><p>Ichigo's body is slouched against the planted Tensa Zangetsu. The sound of battle echoes around him as he remains unresponsive, his body kneeling and eyes chillingly vacant.</p><hr/><p>Aizen swings down his katana with full force, forcing Urahara to leap out of the way. The blade strikes the concrete and cracks it apart, sending a tremor across the road. Aizen flash-steps after Urahara and swipes horizontally. The shopkeeper backflips, Aizen's blade missing the underside of his sandals by a hair's breadth and sending a shockwave that cleanly slices through everything in its path. Aizen, without missing a beat, launches after Urahara in a corkscrew spin, thrusting Kyōka Suigetsu forward like the tip of a drill.<br/><br/>Urahara leaps again, this time flipping over Aizen. He extends his katana mid-air and intones "Shibari, Benihime!" His blade fires a blood-red mesh that unfurls into a net and ensnares Aizen. The Arrancar Lord's spin halts as he is enmeshed by the trap. Urahara lands and turns back to see a frustrated Aizen writhe in the scarlet net. Every time the Arrancar Lord slashes at the mesh, it instantly reforms and stubbornly clings to him.<br/><br/>“Where has that unflappable composure gone, Aizen?” Urahara asks tauntingly as he watches his opponent flail against his binds. “Does it frustrate you, losing the upper hand when you can't fall back on Kyōka Suigetsu? Are you so quick to anger when confronted by your limitations?”<br/><br/>Aizen casts a venomous glare at Urahara before settling back into bemused poise. He lowers Kyōka Suigetsu and ceases to struggle.<br/><br/>“I am merely impatient for Kurosaki Ichigo to return to us,” Aizen retorts. "I have grown bored of your stalling tactics."<br/><br/>“You ought to practice patience, Aizen," Urahara cheekily suggests. "Learn to be still.”<br/><br/>The net constricts around Aizen, forcing him to the ground. The Arrancar Lord kneels, defiantly resisting the mesh's pulverizing pull.<br/><br/>“Oh, I have practiced patience, Urahara Kisuke," Aizen replies, his expression a mix between amusement and contempt. "I have waited for an intolerable amount of time with nary a protestation.”</p><hr/><p><em><b>FLASHBACK<br/>- SOUL SOCIETY: 110 YEARS BEFORE THE WHITE INVASION -</b></em><br/><br/>Aizen is amongst the Gotei members bidding farewell to Kirio Hikifune at the First Division Headquarters &amp; Barracks before she ascends to the Royal Realm.<br/><br/></p><p>"Captain Hikifune," Aizen interrupts, stepping forward. All eyes fall on him, including Shinji's irate glare. </p><p>"Please excuse my temerity," Aizen continues, his voice quavering with nerves. "But it would be my eternal honor to shake the hand of a blessed member of Zero Division."</p><p>He kneels before Hikifune and extends up his trembling hand. Shunsui smiles at the corniness of the gesture while the lieutenants are all blushing with mortification.</p><p>"Eh?!" Shinji angrily interjects. "Put your hand away, Sōsuke, before you embarrass the Fifth Division."</p><p>"Oh, it's really no trouble, Shinji," Hikifune beams, supremely endeared by the lieutenant's boldness. She coquettishly reaches down and grasps Aizen's hand for a playful handshake. "My my, Lieutenant Aizen. You're quite the charmer. I now regret having to leave the Seireitei..."</p><p>Aizen blushes as she takes his hand. <strong>Nobody notices the thin reed of light seep from his wrist to hers — like a worm wriggling into her bloodstream.</strong></p><p>"Woooow," Hiyori mutters with a sniffle. "What a suck up."</p><p>"It's called chivalry," Lisa replies. "More men should practice it."</p><hr/><p>It is now evening. Aizen enters his underground laboratory, where Kaname Tōsen is waiting. The fifth seat Shinigami asks Aizen if it worked: was he able to plant the optical charm on Hikifune? Aizen excitedly confirms that the first stage of the mission was successful: When the new Royal Guard recruit rises up to the Soul King’s Palace, he will be able to see what she sees.<br/><br/>“My eyes will observe what only a handful of Shinigami have witnessed,” Aizen says, his glasses shining malevolently.<br/><br/>“Will you describe it to me?” Tōsen asks.<br/><br/>Aizen sits down and nestles into a meditative posture, replying “Afterwards, Kaname.”<br/><br/>He falls into into a deep trance – necessary to tap into the optic connection. The world around him dims as he enters the perspective of Hikifune rising up to the heavens. The feeling is euphoric.<br/><br/>Aizen sees only vague impressions of what Hikifune is witnessing as she is led through the Royal Realm: Pillars flanking the Vestibule-Road. Enormous cities suspended in the sky. And then there is the cylindrical centerpiece: the Soul King’s Palace.<br/><br/>Aizen braces himself when Hikifune is lead into the throne room: He has been waiting his entire life to see this.<br/><br/>A curtain is drawn back and there is a silhouette encased in what looks like amber. Disquietingly, it does not have limbs – a mere head and a torso suspended in a translucent cocoon. Aizen feels a twinge and is gripped with panic. The silhouette's eyes – irises like honeycomb, emitting indescribable power – peer not at Hikifune, but at him.<br/><br/>Aizen opens his eyes and sees that he is now within a black void. The silhouette stands before him, it's limbs returned and posture imperious. Aizen can feel the specter's gaze boring straight into his very being.<br/><br/>“YOU <b>You</b> <em>you</em> ARE <b>Are</b> <em>are</em> NOT <b>Not</b> <em>not</em> AIZEN <b>Aizen</b> <em>aizen</em> SŌSUKE <b>Sōsuke</b> <em>sōsuke</em>,” the silhouette murmurs in a chorus of distinct yet synchronized voices. Its speech reverberates in endless directions, echoing in perpetuity throughout the void. A tear of awe streaks down Aizen's cheek; he feels overwhelmed by the silhouette's scrutiny. It leans closer, as if imparting a secret:<br/><br/>"KILL <b>Kill</b> <em>kill</em> ME <b>Me</b> <em>me</em>."<br/><br/>The specter's eyes emit a blinding light. Aizen's sight is blotted out and then cracks. His optic connection with Hikifune has been been forcibly cut.<br/><br/>Aizen emerges violently from his trance. He clutches at his chest and hyperventilates. Kaname rushes to his side and touches his shoulder, helping him steady his breath.<br/><br/>“What did you see?” the blind Shinigami asks.<br/><br/>Aizen's choking gasps gradually subside, his eyes bulging with epiphany. As air fills his lungs, he begins to chuckle, and then uproariously laugh.<br/><br/>“A farce fitted with a crown, Kaname!” Aizen answers with a cackle. “It is as we suspected: Heaven is not a throne, but a prison!"<br/><br/>Aizen, in an uncharacteristic show of camaraderie, grasps Tōsen by the shoulders. The Arrancar Lord's eyes are animated with mania, tears of mirth falling behind his glasses.<br/><br/>“Know this, Kaname: No matter the cost of our ambition; we will not ascend to the top as conquerors, but as liberators."</p><hr/><p>Aizen's reminiscence is interrupted when Urahara kneels and stabs his Zanpakutō into the edge of the blood-red net. "Hiasobi, Benhime, Juzutsunagi!" he cries out. Rung by rung, the scarlet net bubbles and erupts. Aizen, without any recourse, braces himself as the triggered mines reach and engulf him. The cacophony of blasts crescendo into a booming explosion that shakes the foundations of Karakura Town.<br/><br/>Urahara stands before the ensuing blaze, watching Aizen emerge. The Arrancar Lord is engulfed in fiery Reiatsu, the upper half of his garb reduced to embers. The flames gradually disippate and Aizen's body is swiftly scored with glowing, palpitating veins. His regeneration is getting faster.<br/><br/>“Your best efforts are swept away as quickly as they are inflicted,” Aizen boasts, the inferno raging behind him. “Why persist if you have no means of destroying me?”<br/><br/>Urahara genuinely considers the question for a beat.<br/><br/>"The honest truth is that I'm fond of this place," the shopkeeper replies. He assumes a guard stance, surrounded by Karakura Town's rubble. "I'm just a concerned citizen defending my home."<br/><br/>Aizen scoffs and raises his katana. "Now, you will use the mightiest technique in your arsenal," the Arrancar Lord commands, "and then I will finish this amusing diversion."<br/><br/>The two archenemies stare each other down, silhouettes framed by the fire.<br/><br/>"Careful what you wish for, Aizen," Urahara retorts, his eyes narrowed with determination. "<b><em>BAN...KA</em></b> –"<br/><br/>A surge of light spears through Urahara's side, skewering him between the ribs. His words trail off and he drops Benihime, the katana clattering onto the ground. Aizen watches in shock, unsure of what is happening. The light sucks back out from Urahara and returns to the hilt of Gin's Kamishini no Yari. The snake gives a cheeky grin.<br/><br/>Urahara falls to his knees, blood spilling from his lips. He reaches his quivering hand out to reclaim Benihime, but Aizen flash-steps before him and swings a vicious kick up into his face – smashing Arisubijōn into smithereens. The shopkeeper flies back in a heap, his hat blowing away into the blustery flames.<br/><br/>Aizen turns his attention back to his subordinate. “Did I request your interference, Gin?” he asks with icy annoyance.<br/><br/>“Nah, but I figured you were gettin’ bored of him yappin’, Captain Aizen,” Gin answers.<br/><br/>Aizen eyes the snake for a beat and then concludes “Very well. We shall proceed with creating the Ōken.”<br/><br/>Urahara lays on his back, on the knife's edge of consciousness. His blurry vision makes out Aizen looming over him. The Arrancar Lord grabs the shopkeeper by the scruff of his robes.<br/><br/>“Come," Aizen coos to his archenemy. “I don’t want you to miss the climax."</p><hr/><p>Orihime nervously looks up at the towering inferno peeking above the skyline. <em>Urahara-san's hurt</em>, she thinks to herself. She feels her anxiety mount, but then puts it out of mind. <em>No – focus on what you can do right now to help. Do not become overwhelmed.</em><br/><br/>She gazes down at the Sōten Kisshun encasing Ukitake. Her negation has worked: the captain's hand has grown back and the two fatal stab wounds in his chest have closed up. She disperses her nurturing light and leans down, gently shaking his shoulder.<br/><br/>"Ukitake-san?"<br/><br/>The 13th Division Captain's eyes snap open and he projectile vomits a torrent of black bile. The crud splashes onto his chest and all over Orihime, caking her in inky sick. She blinks in dumbfounded surprise for a moment and then retches, scooting back several paces in abject horror. The healers and Lieutenant Sentarō gasp in unison.<br/><br/>“What’s wrong, Ukitake-san?” Orihime asks, her voice brittle with fear as she watches the captain writhe on the ground.<br/><br/>“It's his illness!" Hanatarō exclaims, leaping up from overseeing the unconscious Byakuya. "You’ve fixed his body, but his illness has been provoked. We need to –"<br/><br/>The 4th Division healer grunts, feeling something pierce through him. He looks down and sees the tip of Kamishini no Yari protruding from his gut. The blades retracts and Hanatarō collapses in a heap.<br/><br/>Orihime's heart sinks when she sees Aizen’s malevolent smile. He strides up to her at an unhurried pace, flanked by Ichimaru and dragging Urahara in his wake. The rest of the healers all flee, leaving only Sentarō flanking Orihime. Gin nonchalantly aims his blade and spears the 13th Division Lieutenant through; the Zanpakutō retracts and Sentarō falls back unconscious, leaving Orihime standing alone amongst a pile of defeated allies.<br/><br/>Aizen stops short within three yards of Orihime. He gazes at her with fondness, studying her terrified face for a beat. There is complete quiet, with only the crackle of the far-away blaze providing an aural backdrop.<br/><br/>“I was pleased by your performance against Barragan,” Aizen says, breaking the silence. “You truly have come a long way, Inoue”<br/><br/>Orihime sees the Hōgyoku’s light emanating from his chest. She gasps, suddenly understanding. His mysterious wounds in Las Noches now make sense to her.<br/><br/>“Take pride in a job well done,” Aizen smiles, tracing his fingers along the gleaming orb in his sternum. “You have done more to help me win this war than anyone else. Now I need but one more thing from you: the creation of the Ōken.”<br/><br/>“W-what?” Orihime stammers. She doesn’t even know what the Ōken is.<br/><br/>"You can blame this man," Aizen says before throwing Urahara's broken body before Orihime. "If he had not smuggled his Hōgyoku inside of Kuchiki Rukia, then you would have continued living as an unremarkable mortal and I would have never known what you truly are."<br/><br/>Orihime is frozen in confusion and fear. She looks down at Urahara: the shopkeeper's expression is wholly defeated. Not a good sign.<br/><br/>“The Ōken requires the sacrifice of 100,000 souls and the Jūrechi,” Aizen recalls. “Those raw materials are at hand, but harvesting them requires an artifact so rare that its existence was long dismissed as superstition: a Shard of the Soul King. What the disbelievers failed to comprehend – and what Urahara and myself discovered – was that these treasures were not buried beneath the ground, but within souls.”<br/><br/>Aizen smiles at Orihime. Her blood runs cold.<br/><br/>“You are beginning to understand," Aizen beams. "There are spirits among us who churn through the cycle of reincarnation with a single constant embedded inside of them. Impermanent and possessing self-determination, they are the perfect hiding places for such priceless materials. It was miraculous when I found but one of these souls within my lifetime. Now I have found a second: There is a piece of God hidden in your heart, Inoue. Your power to negate what has occurred? A manifestation of your inherited divinity, awakened by your proximity to the Hōgyoku that resided within Kuchiki Rukia. I knew the moment I first witnessed your power."<br/><br/>Aizen turns his gaze to Urahara.<br/><br/>“You must have suspected as well, Urahara Kisuke," Aizen muses. "The obvious assumption was that I would sacrifice the Hōgyoku to forge the Ōken, but you’re astute enough to have wondered whether Inoue was another pathway to the heavens.”<br/><br/><em>We briefly glimpse back when Urahara told a crestfallen Orihime that she must sit out the war against the Arrancar. The reason he gives her is that she would be a liability on the battlefield.</em><br/><br/>Urahara gazes up at Orihime with crestfallen eyes. "I'm... sorry..." he rasps, too weak to manage more.<br/><br/>“My original intention was to simply use the Ōken embedded in Yamamoto's arm, but he spitefully destroyed it,” Aizen continues. “Now I must repurpose Inoue as the catalyst to forge a new key. I would have preferred that she live, but Gēnryusai’s stubbornness has forced us all into this conclusion."<br/><br/>Orihime is gripped with bottomless dread. Aizen extends out his hand, beckoning her to submit.<br/><br/>“The time has come for you to be brave, Inoue.”<br/><br/>A storm of ash sweeps through the street, enveloping everyone’s line of sight. Orihime feels someone grab her by the wrist and drag her away.<br/><br/>“Neko Rinbu,” Gin remarks to himself, recognizing Rangiku’s Shikai ability. He feels a blade lash out from the haze and smack against his leg, doubling its weight. The snake raises his Shinsō, only for Wabisuke to emerge from the shadows and clang against his wakizashi-shaped Zanpakutō.<br/><br/>Izuru Kira leaps through the fog, landing another strike against his former mentor's sword.<br/><br/>“Honor is for the honorably dead, right <em>Captain</em>?” Kira says contemptuously, swinging his blade again. Gin sighs and leaps back, disappearing within the waves of ash.<br/><br/>“You think doublin’ the weight will dull the snake’s bite?” Gin's voice hisses from the shadows.<br/><br/>Before Kira can respond, Kamishini no Yari pierces through him. It’s a clean stab – not passing through any organs. The lieutenant falls onto his back, watching as his former captain strides past him.<br/><br/>“Don’t get back up unless ya wanna die,” Gin says bluntly as he passes by his former subordinate. He walks until he emerges from the smokescreen, Aizen awaiting him.<br/><br/>“You dispatched Izuru rather expediently,” Aizen comments. "And I recognize this diversionary technique; it belongs to Matsumoto Rangiku. You have feelings for her, do you not?"<br/><br/>“Feelings, eh?” Gin replies with a smirk. “Nah, ‘fraid not. Don’t got none o’ them. Didn’t I tell ya, back when we first met? I’m a snake. Cold of flesh and devoid of heart. My tongue flicks back and forth, ever in search of new prey, and if I like what I find, I swallow ‘em whole. I told you that. Didn't I?”</p><hr/><p>Orihime struggles to keep up as Rangiku Matsumoto leads her through the alleyways of Karakura Town.<br/><br/>“Come on,” the lieutenant beckons with urgency. “If we can get you to Tessai’s barrier, then we can —“<br/><br/>Aizen and Gin flash-step in the middle of the corridor, stopping them in their tracks. Aizen scrutinizes their unnerved faces before chiding Rangiku for taking what doesn’t belong to her.<br/><br/>“Now hand over Inoue Orihime,” Aizen commands. “Given your history with Ichimaru, I would pain me to have to forcibly take her from you.”<br/><br/>Rangiku is shaking, but not with fear. She has rage in her eyes.<br/><br/>“Was it you, Aizen?” she grits.<br/><br/>“You'll have to be more specific,” Aizen retorts with a smirk.<br/><br/>“I heard what you said about Orihime,” Rangiku seethes, pressing a hand to her heart. “Was I like her? A carrier of the Soul King? Is that what you took from me that day?!”<br/><br/><em>We glimpse back when the Shinigami identified as Hikaru Midorikawa knelt before the young Rangiku, extracting a sliver of light from her. He hears the snap of a branch and looks out to the brush, seeing a young Gin. We finally see the man for who he truly was: Sōsuke Aizen, using Kyōka Suigetsu to assume the appearance of another.</em><br/><br/>“Answer me, Aizen!” Rangiku bellows, but the Arrancar Lord declines to respond with nothing but a thin smile. With furious tears in her eyes, she turns her attention to Gin. The snake watches passively as his childhood sweetheart gives him a glare of pure hatred.<br/><br/>“You promised to never make me cry,” Rangiku says contemptuously before summoning a Kidō. "Bakudō #21: Sekienton!"<br/><br/>The lieutenant slams her palm into the ground, igniting a burst of red smoke that engulfs the alleyway. She grasps Orihime by the arm once again and begins running with her in the other direction.<br/><br/>“My apologies, Gin,” Aizen sighs with mild exasperation, extending his blade forward. “I will try to be delicate.”<br/><br/>“Allow me,” Gin interjects, striding past his master. “I know how to handle her.”<br/><br/>Aizen gazes down at Gin's fingers when they pinch the back of Kyōka Suigetsu.<br/><br/>“Gin…?”<br/><br/><em>Kamishini no Yari</em> erupts from Gin’s sleeve and spears Aizen through the chest. Smirking, the snake releases Kyōka Suigetsu from his grasp.<br/><br/>“The only way to escape from Kyōka Suigetsu's power is to touch the sword before the activation of Complete Hypnosis," Gin recalls. "Gettin' that information outta you took a few decades. Doin' it Urahara's way woulda saved me some time, but then again..."<br/><br/>Gin's blade retracts back into its stubby original length, a ribbon of blood spurting out from Aizen's wound.<br/><br/>"... I ain't as clever as he is."<br/><br/>Aizen clutches at his chest, crimson spilling out from between his fingers.<br/><br/>“… I always knew,” Aizen admits with a grimace. “Ever since the moment I spotted you in the forest, I knew you would come for me. I was amused when it was under the guise of serving me. But you have an odd sense of timing, Gin –"<br/><br/>"Y'think I planned this?" Gin interjects. "I decided to kill ya about 30 seconds ago. Always thought about it, but hadn't made up my mind. Soul Society, the Gotei, this town? They can all drop dead. Don't care. There was a world where I woulda followed you to the Soul King's Palace, Captain Aizen. Yer dream really was big – made me unsure of whether you oughta die. But... then ya pointed yer blade at her, and suddenly I was sure."<br/><br/>"I don't care about your reasons," Aizen grins, effulgent veins branching out from the Hōgyoku to coalesce around his wound. "You waited too late to make an attempt on my life, Gin. Did you really think this attack –"<br/><br/>"Would kill ya?" Gin interjects merrily. "Nope."<br/><br/>The snake holds up his Shinsõ, pointing out a missing chink in the blade.<br/><br/>"I just left that piece inside you," the snake explains, pointing to Aizen's chest.<br/><br/>"What...?"<br/><br/>"Lil' secret about my Bankai: It turns to dust for just a second when it expands and contracts," Gin elaborates. "It's the bite that delivers the venom. My whole blade's laced with a poison that breaks down cells. Breaks 'em down real fast – faster'n the Hōgyoku can regenerate 'em. Get it, Captain Aizen? You took somethin' from her heart, so I put something in yers."<br/><br/>"All this because of a Rukongai wench?!" Aizen cries out, infuriated.<br/><br/>"Alright, Captain Aizen," Gin says chirpily, placing his hand against the Arrancar Lord's chest. "Time for ya to die... <em>Korose, Kamishini no Yari</em>."<br/><br/>Aizen looks down in horror as the wound in his chest expands at a rapid rate, overturning the rejuvenating veins of the Hōgyoku.<br/><br/>"Yer gonna die with a hole in yer chest," Gin concludes. "Just like ya always wanted."<br/><br/>The snake's blue eyes gleam as the Hōgyoku hovers before him, the flesh and bone of Aizen’s chest dissolving around it. He reaches out and grasps the orb, only for Aizen’s hand to lunge at him.<br/><br/>Gin flash-steps several paces out of reach with the Hōgyoku in his possession. Aizen stumbles back and crumples onto the ground, his torso a gaping chasm. He struggles for breath like a fish on dry land, the vibrant fear of death animating his eyes.<br/><br/>"<em>G-Gin</em>..."<br/><br/>Gin watches with pleasure as Aizen’s entire body dissolves into nothingness, without a trace left.</p><hr/><p>Rangiku and Orihime turn a corner into an alleyway, the lieutenant desperate to get her charge to safety. Gin flash-steps before them, presenting the Hōgyoku in his outstretched palm.<br/><br/>“Gin!” Rangiku cries out, shocked and suspicious. “What did you —?”<br/><br/>“Destroy it,” Gin tells Orihime, offering her the orb. It is throbbing with light, as if it were agitated.<br/><br/>Orihime gulps and nods, casting Sōten Kisshun over Gin’s hand. Rangiku looks at him apprehensively. His blue eyes meet hers, and suddenly she understands.<br/><br/>The Hōgyoku pulsates beneath the light of Orihime's barrier. She senses that something's wrong, her anxiety mounting as the orb begins to blink at a rapid pace. There is a flash and the Sōten Kisshun shatters – a surge of energy shocking Orihime like a cattle prod. She stumbles back, her eyes wide with terror.<br/><br/>"It's him!" she gasps.</p><p>A torrent of purple light erupts like a geyser from Gin’s hand, unfurling into a winged silhouette. The radiance sharpens into the features of Aizen, his inverted irises gazing down at Orihime.<br/><br/>“Your power can negate the will of the gods,” Aizen speaks, his words reverberating with different vocal pitches simultaneously. “But it cannot undo God himself.”<br/><br/>Aizen’s Transcendent state looks like a mixture of his hatched Chrysalis form and his Butterfly transformation from the Canon. He largely resembles the former, with his hair lengthened and windswept. The white of his Arrancar garb has now become like a second skin, melded onto his entire body below the v-cut that exposes his chest. The sclera of his eyes have turned a shade of violet along with ghostly white irises, punctuated by piercing black pupils. An elongated bang hangs from his rich hairline. He is holding Kyōka Suigetsu, but it is not bonded to his hand. A purple gem is lodged within his forehead and a void resides in his chest, with a crosshatch of flesh in the shape of a cross encasing the Hōgyoku. His back is flanked by outstretched wings – not those of a moth, but the broad and feathered texture of an Archangel. He is hovering off the ground, his feet levitating inches above the pavement.<br/><br/>Gin wrenches his arm back, only for a bloody stump to withdraw from Aizen's pulsating core. The snake's limb has been obliterated below the elbow.<br/><br/>“It is as I predicted, Gin,” Aizen proclaims, gazing back at the traitor with a pitiless expression. “I made the Hōgyoku inextricably mine – steal it and you will simply be carrying me in your hand.”<br/><br/>Aizen raises his milky white finger: a crackle of purple energy shoots from it and strikes Gin like lightning. The snake flies back, his chest bursting apart in an explosion of viscera. The Transcendent turns his attention back to the horrified Orihime, his Reiatsu shaking the foundations of the two buildings sandwiching the alleyway. Rangiku puts herself before Orihime and swings her Haineko, but Aizen catches the katana with his fingers. The tendons in his hand flex and the Zanpakutō shatters into infinitesimal pieces.<br/><br/>“Orihime, run! —“ Rangiku cries out before she is seized with an unbearable weight. Aizen glares down at the lieutenant, not heeding Orihime as she flees.<br/><br/>“To give you peace of mind before the end: It was indeed me, Rangiku,” the Transcendent boasts, asserting his immeasurably heavy Reiatsu onto Matsumoto. “I pried the only thing of value from you and now it radiates inside of me. Your recompense is looking upon the God that you helped birth.”<br/><br/>Aizen raises Kyōka Suigetsu and readies to plunge it down, only to detect a surge of Kamishini no Yari firing behind him. He glazes into a silhouette of luminosity, Gin’s blade passing through it ineffectually. The Transcendent rematerializes behind Gin, who is kneeling with his chest caved in and Zanpakutō in hand. The snake whirls around and poises for Butō, firing point-blank. Aizen raises a hand over his face with even faster speed and catches the surging thrust in his palm. Sparks fly as Gin’s unstoppable Bankai grinds against Aizen’s immovable hand. Kamishini no Yari retracts, the blade blunted and smoking. In a flash, Aizen impales Gin through the heart with Kyōka Suigetsu.<br/><br/>Rangiku screams, watching helplessly as Gin is killed.<br/><br/>"I would have elevated you to the heavens, Gin," Aizen remarks with complete tranquility. "Thousands of years from now, when all else is forgotten, they will still tell fables about your folly."</p><hr/><p>Orihime runs down the main street, sheer panic animating her. She halts when a silhouette of purple light flashes before her, Aizen materializing from the raw energy. He is extending his left hand out to her, his right grasping a blood-stained Kyōka Suigetsu.<br/><br/>“Come, Inoue,” Aizen says soothingly, his eyes full of affection.<br/><br/>"Hey, swan!" a gravelly voice shouts from behind Aizen, drawing both his and Orihime's attention.<br/><br/>Aizen looks back and sees Kenpachi Zaraki grinning at him from the other end of the street.<br/><br/>“Ho, ho,” Kenpachi laughs, unsheathing his jagged katana. “You look pretty, Aizen!”<br/><br/>“Zaraki Kenpachi,” Aizen remarks, his violet eyes narrowing. “How did you escape from Hueco Mundo?”<br/><br/>“Some Arrancar woman kicked us out,” Kenpachi grins. “Says she runs the place, now.”<br/><br/>“Us?” Aizen repeats. He turns his gaze back to Orihime, who is now flanked by Suí-Fēng. The Second Division Captain shoots Aizen a defiant scowl, grasps Orihime by the wrist, and flash-steps away with her in tow.<br/><br/>"Very well," Aizen sighs, roving back to face Kenpachi. He beckons the 11th Division Captain to come at him.<br/><br/>Kenpachi excitedly rips off his eyepatch, roaring with exhilaration as his Reiatsu surges. He starts sprinting towards Aizen, his momentum building to a gallop as his stomps smash the pavement beneath. He leaps into the air with both hands firmly grasping the hilt of his Zanpakutō. He brings the sword down upon Aizen with the full force of Kendō, the kinetic energy obliterating the entire street. Windows shatter and tile is torn off from rooftops as the shockwave completely levels everything in its path.<br/><br/>Aizen has caught Kenpachi’s swing in his hand, holding the edge firmly. Kenpachi is stunned: he put everything he had left into that attack.<br/><br/>“I admit that I intentionally avoided tangling with you when I was a Shinigami, Zaraki Kenpachi,” Aizen muses. “Thank you for demonstrating how high I have ascended.”<br/><br/>The Transcendent presses two fingers against Zaraki’s chest. “Hado #1” he intones. “Sai.”<br/><br/>There is a pulse of energy and Kenpachi is thrown back with the velocity of a rocket, his body barreling through Karakura Town and tearing up everything he smashes through. Aizen watches dispassionately as the 11th Division Captain crashes as far as 1,000 yards away, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p>Suí-Fēng bounds over the Karakura skyline, dashing at her maximum speed. She drags Orihime along by the arm; the girl nearly losing her lunch as they leap from building to building.<br/><br/>“That lout Urahara filled us in after we arrived,” Suí-Fēng calls back to Inoue. “I need to get you out of Karakura Town, away from the bounds of the Jūrechi.”<br/><br/>The captain reaches the outskirts of town and comes upon the barricade of Kidō erected by Aizen. She leaps onto the translucent wall and starts dashing up its surface, nearing the peak. Her heart sinks when the summit begins to curve upwards, expanding its height. She attempts to outrun the growth of Kidō, but the curvature grows too steep and she plummets back down with Orihime.<br/><br/>Aizen levitates beneath them, his fist outstretched and squeezing. He smirks as his fortress of Kidō coalesces into an enormous dome, sealing Karakura Town completely off from the outside world. His wings spread out – giving him the span of 30 feet – and he launches into the air, flying straight for Suí-Fēng and Orihime.<br/><br/>Suí-Fēng clocks the incoming Transcendent and hurls Orihime away from herself, putting an extra kick of Shunkō into her throw. Orihime screams as she plunges headfirst down towards Karakura Town.<br/><br/>Suí-Fēng, falling with style, releases Suzumebachi and dives down to meet Aizen. She lunges her stinger at him, hoping to nail him with her two-strike kill. He reaches out and snatches her gauntlet away with all the effort of plucking a leaf from a branch, taking her hand as well. Suí-Fēng watches in shock as blood spurts from the stump where her forearm had been. Aizen takes the gloved limb he tore from her and backhands her with it, sending her somersaulting violently down until she crashes into the hillside of the Karakura outskirts.</p><p>Orihime flies through the air like a javelin, nearing the face of a building. She braces herself for impact, but is caught by Renji.<br/><br/>“I got ya, Inoue!” he grins reassuringly. He dives back down into Karakura Town with Orihime in tow.</p><hr/><p>Gin gazes up at Rangiku’s face, his head resting in her lap. She strokes his hair, softly crying as she tries to make him comfortable for his final rest.<br/><br/>"Stupid, stupid boy," she whispers to him before her face softens into a look of profound affection.<br/><br/>Gin grasps her hand, his blue eyes gazing into hers.<br/><br/>“Only thing I regret was making you cry. I couldn’t retrieve what was taken from you… I'm... I'm sorry.”<br/><br/>Rangiku feels Gin’s hand grow limp in her grasp. She hugs him close and wails, letting loose a heart-wrenching scream of primal grief.</p><hr/><p>Isane crouches before Ichigo’s kneeling body, her hands emitting a healing glow.<br/><br/>“I don’t understand,” the 4th Division Lieutenant says nervously. “He is completely catatonic.”<br/><br/>Chad looms behind her, holding the paralyzed Uryū in his arms.<br/><br/>“Ichigo?” Chad asks warily, seeing no light behind his friend’s eyes. “Ichigo, can you hear me?”<br/><br/>Uryū is horrified by the destruction surrounding them. <em>How many people have already died</em>? he thinks to himself. The Quincy turns his attention to Ichigo and feels a deadening despair set in.<br/><br/><em>You always carved out victory even when it was impossible</em>, Uryū thinks while gazing at his rival. <em>If even you are down for the count, then we really are up against something unstoppable.</em></p><hr/><p>Renji touches down on the street and sets Orihime down. They’re standing before Tessai’s Kidō barrier, Rukia awaiting them. Tatsuki watches them from behind the wall of light; Chizuru, Keigo, Mizuiro, and thousands of Kakura residents crowd behind her.<br/><br/>“Just step through and run until you reach Urahara Shop, Inoue,” Rukia orders breathlessly. “Jinta and Ururu will lead you to the Garganta and get you far away from here.”<br/><br/>“But what about you two?” Orihime asks in a hushed whisper.<br/><br/>“That Kidō’s designed to keep Shinigami like us out,” Renji replies, releasing and whipping around Zabimaru. “We’re staying behind.”<br/><br/>“But —“<br/><br/>“There’s no time, Inoue!” Rukia exclaims. “Go!”<br/><br/>Orihime closes her eyes and charges towards the barrier. She is mere feet away from passing through it when she feels a vice-like grip seize her arm. She looks back to see Aizen materializing from thin air, his alabaster-hued hand gripping her.<br/><br/>“Did you hope that a mere Shinigami’s Kidō could protect you?” Aizen muses, his violet eyes regarding her sympathetically. “How naive.”<br/><br/>The Transcendent extends a finger up towards the barrier. The thinnest thread of energy fires from his fingertip and pierces through the translucent wall, travels past thousands of humans, passes through the doors of Urahara’s shop, and fires straight through Tessai’s chest.<br/><br/>The Kidō master flies back from his cross-legged posture, coughing up a splash of blood as the infinitesimal puncture in his chest blows out with the radius of a baseball from his back. Jinta and Ururu rush to his side, horrified by his wound.<br/><br/>Tatsuki’s eyes widen as the wall of golden light before her parts like a curtain and then disperses into shattered fragments. The barrier has fallen, leaving all of the gathered Karakura residents vulnerable.<br/><br/>Renji leaps at Aizen from behind and swings Zabimaru, aiming for the neck. The Transcendent doesn’t even turn to acknowledge his attacker; a purple spark of energy whips against Renji’s side and sends him crashing through the adjacent storefront.<br/><br/>“Hm?” Aizen murmurs as he distractedly lifts up his katana, inspecting it in one hand while grasping Orihime with the other. “Kyōka Suigetsu… no longer speaks to me.”<br/><br/>The Transcendent casts his eyes to Rukia, recognizing her as the only audience he has left.<br/><br/>“Rather, it no longer recognizes me,” he continues. “I have grown beyond its parameters of power. Do you know what this means? I cannot retrieve Kurosaki Ichigo even if I wanted to.”<br/><br/>“What?!” Rukia gasps, struggling to comprehend. “Retrieve? What… what did you do to him, Aizen?!”<br/><br/>“I provided him with ample time to break his limits,” Aizen replies matter-of-factly. “If he has yet to show himself, then I suppose he never will. There is nothing left here to interest me.”<br/><br/><em>Ichigo</em>, <em>where have you gone?</em> Rukia whispers to herself, feeling her heart break.<br/><br/>Aizen begins to levitate from the ground, dragging a petrified Orihime with him as he ascends to the sky. Tatsuki falls to her knees, helplessly watching her friend be taken away.<br/><br/>“I think it’s time that we bring our little drama to an end,” the Transcendent announces, gazing down at Rukia. “Take comfort in the knowledge that the ritual will not destroy you or any other Shinigami. It is only the humans' souls that the Ōken will feed upon.”<br/><br/>Orihime feels emptiness emanate from her heart as they rise above the Karakura skyline and touch down on the roof of a 20-story building, overlooking the horizon. Aizen sets her down on the gravel with a gentleness that is almost tender.<br/><br/>“Are you ready, Inoue?” the Transcendent asks with a dreamy cadence.<br/><br/>Orihime looks forlornly down at the gravel. For whatever reason, all she can think of is the night her brother died.<br/><br/><em>She is 12-years-old and sitting outside of the Kurosaki clinic. Paramedics wheel Sora’s body into an ambulance: he died before they arrived. Isshin is conferring with the paramedics while Orihime sits on the curb, gazing down at the hairpins in her hand. She snaps them into her burnt orange hair, tears streaming down her face.<br/><br/>She shivers in the cold and hugs herself, then feels a blanket drape over her. She looks up to see the orange-haired boy who had received her at the clinic: Ichigo. He wordlessly sits down next to her and they share a long silence.<br/><br/>“Do you… have anyone else?” he asks.<br/><br/>“No,” Orihime shakes her head. “It was just Sora and me. He was my only friend… He always stood up for me, whether it was against Mom or Dad or mean people at school. He… he was always there to protect me.”<br/><br/>Orihime bows her head and cries, only to cease when she hears Ichigo sniffling. She looks over and sees that he’s crying, too. He wipes his nose with his sleeve and puts on a brave face.<br/><br/>“I’ll protect you,” he vows.</em><br/><br/>Orihime reflects on the memory, caressing one of her hairpins. She then looks up to meet Aizen’s gaze.<br/><br/>“I’m not afraid,” she says.</p><p>Aizen nods admiringly, holding his hand out before Orihime's chest. His palm emits a soft glow and her heart reciprocates, the shard inside of her beginning to awaken.<br/><br/>“A radiant spirit to the very end,” Aizen says fondly.<br/><br/>Orihime resignedly watches as her chest shines like a lantern, emitting divine light as Aizen coaxes energy into the piece of the Soul King embedded within her. Soon the shard will explode and envelop all of Karakura Town along with it.</p><hr/><p>Ishida feels a twinge. He looks up at the skyline.<br/><br/>“Orihime,” he whispers. “<em>We’re too late</em>.”<br/><br/>“Look!” Chad cries out. “Ichigo’s sword, it’s…”<br/><br/>Black Reiatsu begins to rise from Tensa Zangetsu, dancing from its edge like flames. Chad, Isane, and Uryū all watch in astonishment as the Bankai blade stirs awake.</p><hr/><p>Aizen detects that an interloper has arrived. He looks over and sees Rukia Kuchiki standing five yards away. She has leapt up to the rooftop, her Sode no Shirayuki drawn and poised.<br/><br/>“What is it you hope to achieve, Kuchiki Rukia?” Aizen asks with equal parts curiosity and exasperation. “Your role in all of this ended on Sōkyoku Hill. Yet here you stand, making a mockery of yourself to defend the dignity of an Order that saw fit to execute you on my command. How misguided.”<br/><br/>“This isn’t about Soul Society!” Rukia fires back. “It’s not about dignity and it’s not about honor, Aizen. I… I won’t let Orihime die alone!”<br/><br/>Orihime’s eyes widen with emotion. Heartened by Rukia’s words, she smiles as the coalescing radiance in her chest grows brighter. Rukia sees the surging light and realizes that the proverbial bomb is about to go off.<br/><br/>“Stop, Aizen…” Rukia whispers, her sword quivering in her grip.<br/><br/>The Transcendent merely smiles back, continuing to feed energy into Orihime’s heart.<br/><br/>“DAMMIT, AIZEN!” Rukia cries out, readying to lunge in desperation. “I SAID STOP!!!”<br/><br/>Suddenly, Rukia feels a set of feet slam into the gravel behind her, asserting an unfathomable weight. She freezes, seeing the surprise on Aizen and Orihime’s faces. Slowly, she turns to see the new arrival.<br/><br/>Ichigo Kurosaki stands before her. The Substitute Shinigami is barefoot, his frayed black robes billowing in the wind. His right sleeve has been shorn off, exposing the sinewy muscle of his bicep. His gloved hand grasps Tensa Zangetsu, which has been lashed to his arm with a black chain that snakes from wrist to shoulder. What is most startling about his appearance, however, is his expression: he looks like he’s in full control.<br/><br/><em>His eyes</em>… Rukia thinks to herself as she looks upon Ichigo with awe. <em>His eyes are filled with…</em><br/><br/>“Rukia,” Ichigo says with relief, a warm smile spreading across his features. “Just stay right there. Right where you are. I’ll handle this.”<br/><br/>Rukia is taken aback. She is astonished by his confidence, but somehow… she believes him. <em>You aren’t the same Ichigo I saw mere hours ago</em>.<br/><br/>Aizen sighs and closes his palm shut. The light emanating from Orihime’s chest dissipates in response, the fuse inside of her relaxing.<br/><br/>“So you’ve returned, Kurosaki Ichigo,” Aizen remarks. “I commend you for escaping from Mugenmagureru Akumanowana, but I’m afraid you’re too late. Gin has already fulfilled your use to –“<br/><br/>“— Aizen,” Ichigo interjects with icy nerve. “Let her go.”<br/><br/>Aizen arches his brow, amused by Ichigo’s bullishness.<br/><br/>“The Ryōka boy rides in to rescue the maiden,” Aizen smirks. “A heroic gesture – all the more poetic for being completely futile.”<br/><br/>He reaches down and grips Orihime by the collar of her Arrancar garb, lifting her up from the ground.<br/><br/>“If you want her, how about you come and take —“ Aizen begins, only to realize that Ichigo has disappeared and so has Orihime from his grasp.<br/><br/><em>What?! </em>Aizen blinks in astonishment before turning around to see Ichigo on the other end of the rooftop, holding Orihime in his arms.<br/><br/>Orihime isn’t quite sure what just happened, either. All she can do is gaze into Ichigo’s eyes while he gives her a reassuring smile.<br/><br/>“I’ll protect you, Orihime,” Ichigo promises. “Always.”<br/><br/>He sets her down and then turns his attention back to the Deicidal god before him.<br/><br/>"I see," Aizen smirks. "Your Zanpakutō's exceptional attribute has always been its speed in short bursts. You had been unable to capitalize on it lest it break your body, but now you have learned how to harness it to the maximum extent. Well done, Ichi –"<br/><br/>“Let’s take this elsewhere, Aizen,” Ichigo interrupts again, making a habit of it. “I don’t want to fight here.”<br/><br/>Aizen stares down the Substitute Shinigami, annoyed by his impertinence. He rises to his full height and spreads his wings, not unlike a peacock basking in its own beauty.<br/><br/>“Your disrespect has grown tiresome,” Aizen declares. “Your use to me has expired, but if you must insist on the girl’s survival, then perhaps you can take her pla—“<br/><br/><b>Ichigo’s palm smashes into Aizen’s face, shutting him up.</b><br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami launches from the rooftop with Aizen in tow, their velocity generating a blast of wind that sweeps through Orihime and Rukia’s robes. They watch Ichigo fly away, both of them slack-jawed.<br/><br/>Isshin lies on his back amidst the rubble, immobilized but still conscious. He smiles when he sees his son streak across the sky.<br/><br/>Ichigo reaches the dome of Kidō that Aizen had encircled around Karakura Town. He thrusts the Transcendent forward like a shield, both of them crashing through the prism. They come out the other end having punched a hole through the barrier – it promptly collapses into fine particles around Karakura’s border.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami reaches the end of the horizon and hurls Aizen down into a craggy wilderness. The Transcendent’s body craters the ground, sending up a plume of dirt. He struggles back up to his feet, gingerly nursing his face with a quivering hand.<br/><br/><em>How did he…?!</em><br/><br/>Ichigo gracefully touches down before Aizen. Their arena is a wide valley that slopes up into a chunky mountain.<br/><br/>“I am the Substitute Shinigami of Karakura Town, and you will not step foot in my jurisdiction ever again,” Ichigo announces with authority. “Now prepare yourself, Aizen. I’ll finish this… in an instant.”<br/><br/>Aizen's eyes widen with an expression not dissimilar to fear. After a beat, they narrow back to supreme condescension. His hand lowers to reveal that his jaw has been horrifically dislocated, jutting grotesquely to the side. He presses a palm to his bent maw and snaps it back in place.<br/><br/>“Point taken, Kurosaki Ichigo,” the Transcendent spits, roving his realigned mouth before reassuming complete poise. “Even a God can be humbled from time to time. The elation of transcendence and the vagaries of your Reiatsu prompted me to lower my guard. This embarrassment could have been avoided had I greeted you as an equal. Allow me to do so now.”<br/><br/>Aizen’s angelic wings spread wide and he assumes a guard stance, the muscles in his body tensing. A pillar of purple Reiatsu erupts from him and rises up towards the sky. The Transcendent grins as he begins to show the true depth of his power, the crater beneath him broadening out.</p><hr/><p>Orihime and Rukia stand together on the rooftop, watching a pillar of purple light spiking into the clouds from miles and miles away.<br/><br/>“Are you alright, Orihime?” Rukia asks without taking her eyes away from the towering display of power.<br/><br/>“I think so,” Orihime replies, clutching at her chest. “Thank you, Rukia… I’m sorry.”<br/><br/>“Sorry?” Rukia says with surprise, looking to her. “What are you apologizing for?”<br/><br/>Orihime fidgets with her hands as she summons the courage to come clean: “There was a time when I was… jealous of you.”<br/><br/>Rukia is perplexed for a moment, but then it dawns on her. She smiles at Orihime, suddenly understanding.<br/><br/>“Kurosaki-kun… I mean Ichigo seemed different, didn’t he?” Orihime adds wistfully.<br/><br/>“Yes; especially the look in his eyes,” Rukia responds. “They had so much confidence, but they were also…”<br/><br/>“Sad?”<br/><br/>Rukia nods. There is a clap of thunder in the distance followed by a gentle breeze sweeping into town. Rukia realizes that the tremors are the shockwaves from Ichigo’s battle.<br/><br/>We surge past Orihime and Rukia's perspective… past the outskirts of Karakura Town… past the miles and miles of empty wilderness… and center on the valley wherein Ichigo and Aizen are clashing.</p><p>The two godly combatants lash at each other with percussive strikes, flash-stepping across the craggy field and leaving devastation in their wake. Kyōka Suigetsu clangs against Tensa Zangetsu, their exchanges emitting percussive reverberations that shatter the surrounding stones. Their slashes are rapid-fire and echo with resounding power, the earth beneath them splintering from the strain.<br/><br/>Ichigo parries Aizen’s strike and sends the velocity of his thrust surging across the field, obliterating everything in its wake. Aizen cackles, exhilarated as he gets to flex the full extent of his new powers. He glazes into a silhouette of pure energy and reemerges from Ichigo’s right flank, swinging viciously. Ichigo parries away the slash and dashes around Aizen at such speed that he generates a dozen simultaneous after-images. The Transcendent roars and lets his Reiatsu explode – the energy blowing away the apparitions and sending Ichigo dashing back. He lands on the mountain’s surface, a cave entrance yawning behind him.<br/><br/>Aizen juts out his index finger, his eyes filled with bloodlust. “Hado #99: Goryūtenmetsu!” he cries out gleefully. The ground shatters beneath him, five enormous dragons comprised of purple flame sprouting from the cracks and surging towards Ichigo.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami turns heel and sprints into the cave, the serpentine beasts giving chase. Ichigo dashes at supersonic speeds through the dank tunnels, peering back to see the fiery jaws keeping pace behind him, incinerating the innards of the mountain as they slither through it.<br/><br/>We cut to a wide angle on the mountain as it crumbles internally, flame erupting from its spouts. Ichigo bursts through its summit and flies up towards the clouds. Aizen materializes behind him and swings Kyōka Suigetsu, only for Ichigo to whirl around and catch the katana’s edge in his hand.<br/><br/>Aizen’s eyes widen in disbelief while Ichigo glares back at him with determination. The Transcendent asserts his full power, roaring with indignation as his blade struggles against Ichigo’s grip. The Substitute Shinigami holds the sword at bay, blood trickling down his palm. He lashes out with Tensa Zangetsu, cleaving through Aizen’s right wing.<br/><br/>The Transcendent flutters down, his dragons erupting up from the mountain’s summit to meet him. He lands atop the snout of the leading serpent and rides it as all five beasts surge up towards Ichigo. The Substitute Shinigami poises himself, his silhouette framed by the sun, and then launches down like a missile. He passes through the throng of serpents in a flash. They all shatter, having been cut clean through.<br/><br/>Aizen watches in shock as his mightiest Kidō spell crumbles beneath his feet. He glides down and lands on a crag on the ruined mountain, only for Ichigo to flash-step before him. The Substitute Shinigami blitzes a countless flurry of slashes, echoing the same maneuver he used to repel Byakuya’s petals on Sōkyoku Hill. Aizen stumbles back, gasping for air: dozens of lacerations have been carved into him, his divine visage cut to ribbons.<br/><br/>“Was this a part of your plan, Aizen?” Ichigo asks coldly, flicking the blood from his Bankai onto the stone ground. “Is this the power you were eager to face?”<br/><br/>Aizen grinds his teeth, bristling with rage. “You should be thanking me,” he spits. “You were a cowering child before my intervention. The subjugation of your Zanpakutō was only possible because of me.”<br/><br/>“Subjugation?” Ichigo repeats back, unimpressed. “Is that what you call it?”<br/><br/>Blood drips down Aizen’s milky body. A new wing grotesquely burgeons out from his spine, the rest of his wounds bubbling like a cauldron.<br/><br/>“Tell me…” Aizen grits contemptuously, “… when you were confronted by what was most precious to you inside the depths Mugenmagireru Akumanowana – what did you do?”<br/><br/>“… I let it go,” Ichigo answers.<br/><br/>“Exactly!” Aizen hisses. “You learned that it wasn’t necessary! All this time, it has been your sentimentality holding you back, Kurosaki Ichigo. Your obsession with the weak made you afraid of your own might – you were so fearful of crushing the puny beneath your steps that you chose to remain still! Only now, after casting aside that which you held as sacred, can you finally see the truth of —“<br/><br/>“— You keep making a lot of assumptions about me, Aizen,” Ichigo interrupts. “My turn to make some about you: this is the first time our blades have actually crossed. Y’know what I felt coming from your sword? Loneliness.”<br/><br/>Aizen’s brow furrows. He doesn’t understand.<br/><br/>“I let go of what what was closest to my heart because it was the only way I could protect everyone else I care about,” Ichigo continues. “When you threw away what mattered most to you, what did you have left? Now that you know I’m stronger than you, are you starting to wonder if that sacrifice was worth it, Aizen?”<br/><br/>Aizen bristles with rage, Kyōka Suigetsu rattling in his grip.<br/><br/>“Do not presume to understand me, boy,” he seethes. “How dare… how dare you lecture <em>A BEING YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND</em>!”<br/><br/>The Transcendent screams with pure, unbridled pique, prompting the gem implanted in his forehead to split open. Aizen falls silent, gazing up in horror at the third eye roving within his skull. His face cracks like a porcelain pot and he erupts into a torrent Reiatsu, his body bursting at the seams.<br/><br/>Ichigo watches as a monster emerges from the viscera: a black skull with serrated teeth flanked by the flaps of Aizen’s molted face. Its bleached musculature has three holes in the torso, the Hōgyoku hovering in the highest rung. Kyōka Suigetsu has been bonded to its arm, curving out like a sickle. The feathered wings have now become a fleshy array of eyeless, mewling heads, with two optical orbs in the shape of Aizen’s withering glare embedded in the pectoral fins.<br/><br/>The beast opens its sawtoothed maw and emits an otherworldly screech, its language incomprehensible.<br/><br/><em>Can you hear me, Kurosaki Ichigo?</em> a voice rumbles within Ichigo’s mind. The Substitute Shinigami realizes with alarm that Aizen is speaking to him via telepathy.<br/><br/><em>How ruinous, absolutely ruinous of you… to provoke your God!</em><br/><br/>One of the six mouths chattering from Aizen’s wings lets fly a compacted shot of energy. It flies towards Ichigo at frightening speed – he shields himself with his arm at the last possible moment. There is a flash and then an explosion of nuclear proportion, leveling the entire valley.<br/><br/>The shockwave reaches Karakura Town, shaking its infrastructure like a rattle. Rukia and Orihime brace themselves, the building beneath them wobbling. They look on in horrified awe at the mushroom cloud sprouting in the far distance.<br/><br/>Aizen’s colorless eyes watch as Ichigo emerges from the inferno, his left arm a cinder. The monster dives towards his prey and pins him to the molten ground with a clawed foot. Ichigo screams as lava seeps over his ruined arm, the ground gradually crumbling beneath him.<br/><br/><em>From the beginning, you misunderstood the nature of this battle</em>, Aizen hisses in Ichigo’s mind. <em>It doesn’t matter if your strength temporarily exceeds my own – the Hōgyoku will not allow me to be defeated.</em><br/><br/>Ichigo lashes out with Tensa Zangetsu, hacking Aizen’s spindly leg clear off. The Substitute Shinigami flips back into a crouch and then leaps up onto the mountain, getting away from the volcanic valley.<br/><br/>Aizen flash-steps atop the bursted peak of the mountain, staring down at Ichigo imperiously. The beast sprouts a new leg in mere seconds, his regeneration achieving record time. Ichigo glares up at Aizen defiantly, grimacing from the searing burns across his arm.<br/><br/><em>You have done me a great service</em>, Aizen purrs in Ichigo’s thoughts. <em>Do you think a mere Shinigami can overthrow the Soul King? No — only a being of equal or greater transcendence can slay Reiō and assume his throne. I needed an adversary of divine lineage to help me evolve into a plane of existence capable of reigning. You have fulfilled that purpose, Kurosaki Ichigo! Now, as you face your end, do you wish to know what you truly are?</em><br/><br/>“ENOUGH!” Ichigo shouts, banishing Aizen from his mind. “I already know who I am, Aizen… I’m the son of Isshin and Masaki. The brother of Karin and Yuzu. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, and my job is to protect our home.”<br/><br/>His burnt fingers hook into a link in the shackle wrapped around his arm. “It’s time I show you…”<br/><br/>He yanks it off, breaking the chain. The manacle disintegrates and his glove turning into vapor. A deluge of black Reiatsu flows out from Tensa Zangetsu, engulfing Ichigo like smoke.<br/><br/>“… the Final Getsuga Tenshō!”</p><hr/><p><b><em>- FLASHBACK TO ICHIGO’S INNER WORLD -</em></b><br/><br/><em>How long have we been doing this</em>? Ichigo wonders.<br/><br/>He continues to exhaustedly parry the Hell Knight’s strikes. They balletically hack and slash back and forth, tussling in the ocean depths while Tensa Zangetsu passively watches.<br/><br/><em>If this monster really wanted to destroy me, it could have done so from the beginning</em>, Ichigo thinks to himself. <em>I am no match for it, but it continues to fight me on a level that makes me an equal.</em><br/><br/>The demon screeches and charges a Gran Rey Cero from the space between its dual horns. Ichigo’s eyes widen and he lunges out of the way. The blast cuts through the ocean floor, parting the water like a curtain and exposing the Inner World to daylight for a brief moment before the waves come crashing back together. Ichigo swirls amidst the tumult, lost in reflection.<br/><br/><em>It could kill me whenever it wants, but it hasn’t. I’ve felt nothing but hatred for this monster, so why… why do I feel sadness flowing from it's sword?</em><br/><br/>The Hell Knight pounces with a wild roar, thrusting its black katana forward. Ichigo makes his decision and tosses his own blade aside, allowing the beast to impale him straight through the heart.<br/><br/>Tensa Zangetsu is startled, but then softens into begrudging acceptance. He slows drifts towards the two interlocked combatants, his head bowed.<br/><br/>“You finally understand…” the spirit says softly.<br/><br/>Ichigo gazes down at the sword buried in his chest. “There’s no pain…” he observes.<br/><br/>White begins to change, its monstrous features shifting into a pale reflection of Ichigo – it was his Hollow all along.<br/><br/>“‘Course there isn't,” the Hollow says affectionately. “I’m you. Once you accepted that, I couldn’t hurt you any longer.”<br/><br/>Ichigo’s eyes widen when White kneels before him, acknowledging him as king.<br/><br/>“I will lend you my strength, Ichigo,” the Hollow announces with a wistful smile.<br/><br/>“As will I,” Tensa Zangetsu adds, hovering behind White. Ichigo sees that the Bankai spirit has tears in his eyes.<br/><br/>“Why are you crying?” Ichigo asks.<br/><br/>The Hollow looks back to his fellow spirit sympathetically. “Remember when he said that what you wanted to protect wasn’t what he wanted to protect?”<br/><br/>“What I wanted to protect was… you, Ichigo,” Zangetsu answers.<br/><br/>Ichigo is taken aback. He watches as his Zanpakutō Spirit and Inner Hollow stand side by side.<br/><br/>“The secrets of the Final Getsuga Tenshō will flow into you through that blade,” Zangetsu explains, motioning to the sword in Ichigo’s chest.<br/><br/>“But there’s something else you oughta know, Ichigo…” White adds.</p><hr/><p><b><em>- RETURN TO THE PRESENT -</em></b><br/><br/>Ichigo is engulfed in an otherworldly Reiatsu. The black and shifting sphere rises until it is level with Aizen atop the mountain, it’s torrents of energy raking along the sky like scribbles.<br/><br/><em>Where… have I seen that form before</em>? Aizen wonders to himself, his curiosity piqued like a moth to flame.<br/><br/>The scratching waves of black Reiatsu part, revealing a transformed Ichigo, His entire right side is bandaged up to his nose, his eyes a vibrant red. His orange hair has lengthened into a raven mane while a blot of black smolders around his arm.<br/><br/>“Tensa Zangetsu’s ultimate technique… is to become Zangetsu himself!” Ichigo announces, his energy blackening the sky above.<br/><br/>Aizen feels an indescribable weight fall upon him. His claws crunch into the stony surface of mountain summit.<br/><br/><em>Why… can’t… I… move?!</em><br/><br/>“Using this technique…” Ichigo continues, “… will permanently cost me my Shinigami powers. That is the price of the <em>Final</em> Getsuga Tenshō.”<br/><br/>Aizen is frozen in place, feeling as though his every muscle is being pulled into the earth. He struggles to understand until he arrives at the only logical conclusion.<br/><br/><em>Is he overwhelming me with the sheer weight of his power?</em> he ponders. <em>How could he possibly be this far beyond me? Could it… NO!</em><br/><br/>Aizen finally realizes why he recognizes Ichigo’s transformation: a figure black of hair with red piercing eyes flits through his memory.<br/><br/>The Transcendent lets out an animalistic screech, using all of his might to pitch his wings forward. His six demonic mouths each begin to charge compacted blasts to retaliate.<br/><br/>“Mugetsu,” Ichigo says.<br/><br/>He swings his arm down, a seismic curtain of darkness following. The slash bifurcates Aizen, travels a mile into the wilderness, and then dissipates.<br/><br/>Ichigo levitates down to the brutalized earth, his transformation gradually flaking off. He trudges across the ground, then perks up as something lands with a crash to his right. He looks over and sees two charred halves of Aizen in the dirt. To his surprise, the two slabs of meat begin bonding back together.<br/><br/><em>He’s still regenerating after that</em>? Ichigo thinks to himself.<br/><br/>He flash-steps before Aizen and readies to deliver the killing blow. As he raises his hand, he feels all of his strength flood from him. His black Reiatsu dissipates and he turns into a disembodied Plus, collapsing in a heap while Aizen shakily rises.<br/><br/>“A valiant effort, Kurosaki Ichigo,” Aizen growls, his face a disfigured mishmash of both angelic and demonic features. “But you lose!”<br/><br/>The Transcendent brandishes Kyōka Suigetsu: the katana is disintegrating.<br/><br/>“You exposed the Hōgyoku to the power of a Shinigami becoming one with their Zanpakutō… and now it is bestowing that evolution onto me!” Aizen cries out triumphantly. “You meaninglessly threw away your divinity, but not before giving the gift of showing me how much higher I could rise! It’s over, Kurosaki —“<br/><br/>Aizen grunts when a spike of red Reiatsu erupts from his chest.<br/><br/>“What… what is this?!” the Transcendent gasps. “When did you…”<br/><br/>“Looks like it’s finally activating.”<br/><br/>Aizen and Ichigo both look on in shock as Kisuke Urahara touches down before them.<br/><br/>“It’s called Kyūjūrokkei Kakafūmetsu,” the shopkeeper explains. “It’s a Bakudō that I embedded within another Kidō during our battle, before you had transformed.”<br/><br/><em>We briefly glimpse back to the moment when Urahara cast Kuyo Shibari, conjuring a collection of black holes around Aizen, with one centered on his chest.</em><br/><br/>“I figured that once you had merged with Hōgyoku, it would be impossible to kill you,” Urahara concludes. “So I developed this seal to trap you instead.”<br/><br/>Aizen juts forth his hand and lets the last remnants of Kyōka Suigetsu crumble from his palm.<br/><br/>“To think I once considered you clever, Urahara,” Aizen bristles. “You’re mad if you believe that you can seal me away with this level of Kidō!”<br/><br/>Aizen’s divine visage shatters, much to his shock. He grasps his face in horror, feeling his power rapidly contract.<br/><br/>“What… what is <em>happening</em>?!” the mere Shinigami asks aloud.<br/><br/>“It is the will of the Hōgyoku,” Urahara answers, drawing a panicked glare from Aizen. “I suspect that the seal is only activating now because the Hōgyoku has stopped repressing it. It’s because of Kurosaki. After he defeated you so completely… the Hōgyoku lost faith in you, and no longer recognizes you as its master.”<br/><br/>“That can’t be,” Aizen whispers to himself. “That’s not…that’s not possible!”<br/><br/>He doubles over, and array of crosses sprouting from his back. Ichigo watches in awe as the Arrancar Lord is slowly encased in molten Kidō.<br/><br/>“URAHARA KISUKE!” Aizen roars. “Do you know how much I despise you, you servile wretch? How could someone with your brilliance stand idle! Why?! Why do you continue to obey that <em>thing</em>?!”<br/><br/>“That thing?” Urahara repeats back. “Are you referring to Reiō?”<br/><br/>Urahara sees the look of pure, unbridled scorn in Aizen’s eyes.<br/><br/>“Ah… So you saw it,” Urahara says resignedly. “… Reiō is the foundation upon which all of the world has been built. Destroy him, and everything would devolve into chaos, and then oblivion. That’s just how the world is.”<br/><br/>“That is the rationale of a slave!” Aizen cries with impassioned fury, the seal coalescing around him. “A master of his own destiny speaks not of the world as it is, but of the world as it should be! I —”<br/><br/>The Kidō sweeps Aizen up into a whirlwind of energy that solidifies into a statue pronged with crosses. Everything settles into silence. Ichigo exhales.<br/><br/>It’s over.</p><hr/><p>Byakuya opens his eyes to see Rukia kneeling over him. She gazes down worriedly at the wound on his neck.<br/><br/>“… Brother?” she says timidly.<br/><br/>Byakuya doesn't respond. Instead, he reaches up and grasps Rukia's hand, holding her in his weak grip. She smiles.</p><hr/><p>Lieutenant Isane helps Captain Unohana up to her feet, leading her back to the Senkaimon. The 4th Division Captain wistfully regards all of the wounded emerging from the ruins.<br/><br/>“I should stay.”<br/><br/>“You need medical attention, Captain,” Isane replies. “Everyone will be collected and brought back to Soul Society, don’t worry.”<br/><br/>Nanao Ise arrives on the scene and rushes to her captain, Shunsui Kyōraku. He’s being carried on a stretcher by a squadron of healers.<br/><br/>“Captain, are you alright?”<br/><br/>“Oof, not so loud, my Nanao-chan,” Shunsui groans. “Of all the things that hurt, this headache is the worst of them.”<br/><br/>“Kyōraku!” Lisa calls out, standing before them. The Visored stares Nanao down, noting their shared resemblance. “Well… you certainly have a type.”<br/><br/>“Aw, c’mon, Lisa. It ain’t like that,” Shunsui blushes.<br/><br/>“Like what?” Nanao asks with alarm.<br/><br/>All three of them fall silent when an adjacent group of healers lift Ukitake onto a stretcher.<br/><br/>“Jūshirō…” Shunsui says hesitantly, gazing at his friend. “I could live a thousand lifetimes and spend every day of them doing nothing but right, and I would still never rid myself of the shame of what I’ve done to you.”<br/><br/>Ukitake manages a weak smile. “Doing right… for just one day would be a start, Kyōraku —“ the captain jokes before descending into a coughing fit.<br/><br/>Shunsui watches his friend hack away, his eyes filled with concern.<br/><br/>Shinji and Hiyori observe the interaction from a distance, Kensei and Love groggily resting on some rubble behind them.<br/><br/>“I had forgotten…” Hiyori says reflectively, “… how much I missed them all.”<br/><br/>Shinji looks at her with surprise, but doesn’t comment. He turns his attention to Unohana and Isane as they trudge up to him.<br/><br/>“Soul Society owes you all a debt of gratitude,” Unohana states.<br/><br/>“You can take that gratitude and shove it!” Hiyori fires back, proving that old habits die hard.<br/><br/>“… Your scorn is merited,” Unohana replies. “But if you should one day come to forgive the Gotei 13, it will need warriors of your caliber to become whole again.”<br/><br/>“That an invitation?” Shinji asks skeptically.<br/><br/>Unohana turns with Isane and continues to trudge on, calling back “It is my hope, Hirako Shinji.”</p><hr/><p>Orihime walks through the herd of confused townspeople gathered before Urahara’s shop, looking for Tatsuki. She happens upon Chad, who is carrying Uryū in his arms. She halts, tears welling in her eyes. Both of her friends smile back, having finally found her after a very, very long day. She leaps forward and gives them a tight hug, then realizes that Uryū is motionless.<br/><br/>“He needs your help, Inoue,” Chad says. He lays the Quincy down and Orihime hurriedly casts her golden light over him.<br/><br/>“How are you feeling, Ishida-kun?” Orihime asks nervously.<br/><br/>Uryū smiles and reaches up to clasp her hand. “Much better,” he answers, hoisting himself from the ground. “Thank you, Inoue.”</p><hr/><p>Karin has ventured outside of Urahara’s shop while Yuzu stayed behind to continue being bombarded with attention from Jinta. She walks through the crowd of residents and bumps into a pale girl who can’t be much older than her.<br/><br/>“Hey – sorry about that,” Karin says reflexively.<br/><br/>“Oh, it’s okay,” the girl replies. “I should have been paying attention… are you lost, too?”<br/><br/>“Um… Well, no,” Karin answers, not eager to sound like a clueless kid. “Just looking for my dad and brother.”<br/><br/>“Oh – I’m looking for my mom!” the girl says optimistically. “I hope you find them.”<br/><br/>“Sure, you too,” Karin replies.<br/><br/>They part ways. Karin watches the girl disappear into the crowd and then turns to press on. She makes it several yards forward before she notices a woman wailing on the street. Bystanders come and go as a mother kneels on the ground, clutching at her daughter’s lifeless body. The girl had been stuck by rubble.<br/><br/>Karin goes white as a sheet when she recognizes the dead child: she had just spoken to her ghost.<br/><br/>“Karin.”<br/><br/>Isshin stands behind her, having witnessed the entire interaction. She turns to him, distraught.<br/><br/>“… Dad?”<br/><br/>Father and daughter embrace.</p><hr/><p>Ichigo gazes out at the ruins of his hometown.<br/><br/>“Mr. Kurosaki,” Urahara calls out, striding up to him. “The Shinigami have all returned back to Soul Society. When nighttime falls, they’ll deploy the Seireitei’s craftsmen to come and discretely rebuild all of Karakura Town. Fortunately, they all have first-hand experience with how it looked before.”<br/><br/>He sees the sadness in Ichigo’s eyes.<br/><br/>“What’s with that look?” the shopkeeper asks.<br/><br/>“Lotta people are dead, Urahara.”<br/><br/>“This entire town would have been wiped out if it weren’t for you,” Urahara counters. “You saved thousands of peoples’ lives —“<br/><br/>“I know,” Ichigo admits. “When Aizen put me under… I learned that I can’t save everyone. I accept that, now. But… doesn’t mean I have to like it.”<br/><br/>“Ichigo?” a soft voice calls out.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami turns and sees Orihime and a bunch of other familiar faces.<br/><br/>“Orihime, Rukia, Chad, Uryū, Renji?” he says, elated. “What the heck, guys? What’re you doing walking around?”<br/><br/>“Pfft, speak for yourself,” Rukia saucily retorts. The Shinigami softens when she sees Orihime melt before Ichigo.<br/><br/>“Ichigo…” Orihime repeats. Chad, Renji, and Uryū all look at her quizzically, sensing that something’s changed between her and Ichigo.<br/><br/>The Substitute Shinigami responds with a warm smile. “Welcome home, Ino—“<br/><br/>Ichigo collapses in a heap, eyes wide with shock as he clutches at his chest. His Nakama rushes to him, concerned. He passes out.</p><hr/><p><b>- SOUL SOCIETY: 10 DAYS LATER -</b><br/><br/>“We hereby sentence Aizen Sōsuke, former captain of the Fifth Division, to interminable confinement within the deepest level of the Muken!” the high chair of Central 46 declares. “You shall remain incarcerated for the rest of your unnatural life, or until a method of capital punishment is devised.”<br/><br/>“I see…” Aizen smirks, his eye peering at the array of committee members. He has been bonded to a chair, his body bandaged in black. A patch encloses over his right eye. “So you all have the temerity to pass judgment on me? Rather comical.”<br/><br/>The court erupts into chaos, with the Central 46 members all angrily ridiculing the traitor.<br/><br/>“You shall not speak again!” the high chair commands. “Hurry up and bind his mouth.”<br/><br/>Aizen grimaces as his bandages rise to encompass his lips. His eye narrows with disdain.</p><hr/><p>Yamamoto, fully recovered but still missing his arm, angrily berates Byakuya, Kenpachi, and Shunsui for losing their captain’s robes during the Arrancar War. The three captains take their licks while an amused Ukitake observes the lecture from his wheelchair.</p><hr/><p>Rangiku plants her shovel into the ground and gazes down at Gin’s freshly filled grave. They are in the Rukongai’s 45th District, where they had grown up together. Izuru Kira stands behind her, his arms crossed.<br/><br/>“I’m sorry that he has to be buried in this place,” he remarks. “The first Gotei captain not to be interred in the Seireitei…”<br/><br/>“He never belonged in Soul Society,” Rangiku replies. “The man I knew… his heart always remained here.”</p><hr/><p><b>- KARAKURA TOWN: 20 DAYS LATER -</b><br/><br/>“Ichigo?”<br/><br/>Ichigo stirs awake. He blinks twice, swearing he can see Chad, Orihime, Rukia, Tatsuki, and Uryū all standing over his bed.<br/><br/>“You’re awake!” Orihime perkily announces.<br/><br/>Ichigo springs up, startled as he realizes that all five friends actually are in his bedroom. He asks how long he was out for.<br/><br/>“A month,” Rukia replies. “You fell ill as a side-effect from losing all of your Shinigami powers. Your spiritual awareness needed this time to adjust, but…”<br/><br/>“But now that’s gonna fade away too, huh?” Ichigo says resignedly.<br/><br/>“Yeah.”<br/><br/>“I figured,” Ichigo sighs. “Guess I’ll have to resign as Substitute Shinigami, huh?”</p><hr/><p>The group has relocated outside. Ichigo looks around in astonishment, bowled over by how the entire neighborhood has returned back to normal.<br/><br/>“Soul Society spared no expense in rebuilding Karakura Town,” Rukia explains.<br/><br/>“They got the job done in a day.” Chad adds. “It… well, it kinda —“<br/><br/>“— It’s freaked out the entire country,” Tatsuki chimes in.<br/><br/>“Yes,” Uryū concludes, irritably pushing up his glasses. “The most popular conspiracy theory is that aliens are behind it.”<br/><br/>Ichigo smiles at his friends and then turns his attention to Rukia. He can see her slowly fading before him.<br/><br/>“This is goodbye, Ichigo,” she says.<br/><br/>“Yeah, I guess it is.”<br/><br/>“Now don’t look so sad. You can’t see me, but I’ll still be able to see you.”<br/><br/>“How’s that supposed make me feel better?” Ichigo grumbles. “Now I’ll get paranoid every time I open my closet.”<br/><br/>Rukia’s lower half has disappeared, now. She gazes up at Ichigo wistfully. He smiles at her reassuringly.<br/><br/>“So long, Rukia,” the retired Substitute Shinigami says.<br/><br/>“Goodbye, Ichigo.”<br/><br/>Ichigo now stands alone, gazing out at the Karakura skyline before him.<br/><br/>“Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>
  
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  <em>ARC OUTRO THEME - "Aori Tori" by Fumika</em>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. THE LOST AGENT: Days Without Melodies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>17 months after Sōsuke Aizen's defeat and capture. Is this what you call peace?</p>
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    <p> <iframe></iframe> <br/><br/></p><p>First there is nothing, and then the crackle of a VHS recorder turning on. We see mildly grainy establishing shots of Karakura Town, captured with circa-2005 camera equipment.<br/><br/>"This is Karakura Town," a focused and grave voice narrates, speaking with the cadence of a very self-important weatherman. "Population 105,354, by last count. Throughout the 20th Century, it was considered the least distinguished of the three settlements that share its borders. There is Kagamino City to the east –"<br/><br/>The camera cuts to a skyline view of Kagamino City, which looks near-identical to Karakura Town.<br/><br/>"– made famous by its baseball team, the Kagamino Flying Squirrels, who came third place in the 2001 Japan Series –"<br/><br/>A blink-and-you-miss-it insert shot of the baseball team's uniform, complete with a very adorable squirrel gliding with outstretched limbs and a gleeful look.<br/><br/>"– and there is Naruki City to the west –"<br/><br/>The footage cuts to the skyline of Naruki City – a more modern metropolis bedecked with neon billboards and skyscrapers that dwarf anything in Karakura Town.<br/><br/>"– a notable municipality for financial commerce and international tourism, renowned for its thriving fine dining and nightclub life."<br/><br/>The recording cuts back to Karakura Town, which looks pedestrian in comparison.<br/><br/>"And then there is Karakura Town. A seemingly innocuous population center in Japan with little renown. However, in the past 17 months it has become one of the most famous places in the world, and a point of fascination for all of Japan. For those of us who know the truth about humanity's greatest threat? – it has become a point of obsession."<br/><br/>The recording cuts to archival footage, dated from the winter of 2003. The scene is filmed miles out from the Karakura border, with what looks like shockwaves bursting across the town.<br/><br/>"17 months ago, Karakura Town was host a phenomenon of unimaginable devastation and scale, leaving 688 residents dead. Japanese authorities ruled the tragedy an earthquake, but virtually everything about the cataclysm has remained unexplained. Given the reported property damage and the sheer duration of the tremors – why was the number of casualties so low? Thousands of residents spoke attested to some sort of ectoplasmic forcefield shielding them from much of the damage."<br/><br/>A montage of archive footage recorded within Karakura Town in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, showing the scale of devastation. Vast swaths of the town reduced to rubble.<br/><br/>"Strangest of all was the morning after the cataclysm, when survivors wondering where they would now live woke up to discover –"<br/><br/>The footage cuts to the day after, with Karakura Town returned back to exactly as it had been, like the White Invasion had never occurred.<br/><br/>"– their town restored down to the last brick. Global speculation ran rampant, with theories running from government tests gone awry to even an alien visitation. But, dear viewers, we here at Shinjitsu o Horu (“Digging for Truth”) know the real culprits: this was humanity's first brush with the subterranean mole people, rising up to reclaim the daylight after thousands of years dormant."<br/><br/>Cue dramatic title card SHINJITSU O HORU: HOKURO HANTĀ (“DIGGING FOR TRUTH: MOLE HUNTERS”), with cheesy lighting effects shimmering through the title font and dramatic "dun-dun" music punctuating the seriousness of it all.<br/><br/>We cut to footage of 'Digging for Truth' host and narrator Baba Taguchi, a balding and diminutive fellow who ironically bears a reasonable resemblance to a mole, standing several yards away from Urahara Shop, holding a microphone.<br/><br/>"Through our studious research, we have determined that the answers to this Mole People invasion may be found here, in this shabby street," Taguchi says breathlessly into his microphone, staring at the camera with the upmost severity. "Nothing out of the ordinary, you think? According to our calculations, this was the focal point where thousands of Karakura Town residents congregated to seek shelter under the aforementioned 'ectoplasmic bubble.' This shop –"<br/><br/>Taguchi points at Urahara's storefront. "– run by the mysterious Kisuke Urahara, appears to be have been a centerpiece of the action. Despite many entreaties, Mr. Urahara has not granted us an interview."<br/><br/>The camera becomes drawn behind Taguchi, zooming in to catch Urahara is peeking out from the entrance. The shopkeeper, realizing he's being filmed, slams the door shut. Taguchi whirls around and shakes his fist at the store.<br/><br/>"The people want answers, Mr. Urahara!" the investigator yells into his microphone. "What are the mole men's demands?!"<br/><br/>The footage cuts to Karakura High School. A quick montage of different students walking in and out of the entrance, we spot Keigo and Mizuiro among them.<br/><br/>"This is Karakura High School," Taguchi narrates. "Merely an academic institution, you think? Wrong! Through our investigation, we have determined that several ringmasters involved with the mole men's first strike attend this very school."<br/><br/>We see a succession of yearbook photos: Keigo Asano, Mizuiro Kojima, Chizurū Honshō, Tatsuki Arisawa, and Orihime Inoue. All of them look older now, more mature.<br/><br/>"We call them the Karakura Collaborators," Taguchi continues. "These five teenagers shepherded thousands of civilians to safety from the mayhem, meaning that they had been given prior knowledge of the attack from higher up – or should I say from down below?"<br/><br/>The camera cuts to Taguchi submerged in some bushes, spying on the school's front courtyard. He points to Tatsuki in the distance. The camera zooms in, catching her in close up: she has grown noticeably taller, now sporting a feathered pixie cut.<br/><br/>"What secrets do the Karakura Collaborators hold?" Taguchi wonders into his mic. "What messages from the center of the earth can they impart to the rest of us – and what warning? Tune in next time, to... uhhhhh."<br/><br/>Tatsuki has spied the camera from afar. She's frowning directly at it. She starts sprinting forward.<br/><br/>"Oh shit," Taguchi gasps. "Run!"<br/><br/>The camera swerves, shaking around as Taguchi and his cameraman struggle to flee from the bushes. The last image captured is the sole Tatsuki's shoe as she kicks the cameraman square in the face.<br/><br/>We finally leave the perspective of the camera, its handler skidding across the grass with a shoe print indented on his conked-out face. Taguchi kneels in horror, gazing up at Tatsuki as she bears down on him imperiously.<br/><br/>"I thought I told you to beat it!" Tatsuki grits, raising a knuckle threateningly. "I already said I don't know anything about mole people, you creep! If I catch you harassing me and my friends again, I'm gonna use that camera to give you a colonoscopy, got it?"<br/><br/>Tatsuki collects herself and strides away to return to her friends. Taguchi, finding his courage, jumps up from the bushes to call after her.<br/><br/>"We know you're hiding something, Miss Arisawa!" the stout television investigator shouts, sweaty with shaky bravery. "You and your accomplice, Orihime Inoue, know the truth of what happened!"<br/><br/>Tatsuki turns back to give Taguchi a cutting glare, gritting "Don't you go bothering Orihime especially."<br/><br/>Taguchi turns a shade of blue, absolutely terrified. After a beat, he regains his powers of speech. "Fine! But you can’t stop us from seeking the truth from those in league with Miss Inoue. Her boyfriend, for instance!”<br/><br/>Tatsuki sniffs derisively and turns to continue striding away.<br/><br/>"Calling him her boyfriend is a real stretch," she mutters under her breath.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Ichigo Kurosaki leans forward against the railing of the Karakura High rooftop, turning over his Substitute Shinigami Badge in his hands. He gazes down at the skull-emblazoned pendant, remembering when it signified his connection to Soul Society. Now it's just a piece of wood. <em>But still</em>, Ichigo thinks, <em>it's the only proof that I was ever a Shinigami.</em><br/><br/>"So have you decided what you're gonna do about the future?" Keigo asks, leaning back to look up at the sky with his grip affixed to the rail.<br/><br/>"You mean like college or a career or whatever?" Ichigo replies. "I dunno... It's only the first day of our third year. I've still got time before I have to think about it, right?"<br/><br/>"You might need that time to bring your average up," Keigo muses. "You were in the upper half of class before... all that stuff happened.”<br/><br/>"I was a little busy," Ichigo retorts.<br/><br/>“And your grades have only fallen since…” Keigo continues, earning an annoyed glare from Kurosaki.<br/><br/>"Has she visited at all?" Mizuiro interjects, sitting down on the ground scribbling at his homework. "Your friend, Rukia?"<br/><br/>Ichigo imperceptibly winces at the invocation of her name. He shakes his head.<br/><br/>"Well that's kinda lame of her," Keigo says. "A real friend checks in all the time, that's what I say."<br/><br/>"We're not all needy like you," Mizuiro drolly counters.<br/><br/>"Hey!" Keigo snaps upright, indignant. "I'm not needy – I'm just a good friend!"<br/><br/>"Even if she did swing by,” Ichigo continues, not paying attention to the squabbling, "it wouldn't be the same."<br/><br/>Keigo gives Ichigo a curious look, daring to ask "Should Inoue be worried?"<br/><br/>Ichigo doesn't even understand the implication. "Worried about what?"<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Orihime Inoue strides down the school hallway, humming to herself and oblivious to the moony stares from all the boys who are enraptured by her.<br/><br/>"Inoue-senpai is sooooo amazing," one student whispers to another. "She's as beautiful as a pop-star or something."<br/><br/>“The other day, she dropped her pencil and it rolled over to me," another student recounts in hushed awe. "I gave it back to her, and she told me ‘thanks.’ It was magical."<br/><br/>"Kurosaki's a lucky guy."<br/><br/>"He really is," Chizurū Honshō chimes in wistfully, surprising all of the boys. "Makes me hate his guts."<br/><br/>Orihime spies Tatsuki out of one of the hallway windows and calls down to her. "Tatsukiiiii-chan! And, oh – Sado-kun!"<br/><br/>Tatsuki looks up at Orihime from the school yard, having just been in the middle of chatting with Yasutora Sado. Both of them gasp when Orihime grasps onto a gutter and shimmies down to join them. She strides up merrily, only for Tatsuki to punch her soundly over the head.<br/><br/>"You idiot!" Tatsuki barks. "You coulda broken your neck! And your <em>underwear was showing</em>."</p><p>"I was just excited to see you," Orihime winces with a smile, rubbing her smarting cranium. "I had an idea I wanted to share. It's about the 'Wahaha Song' that I sometimes use as the theme song for my life. You know the one? Well, I was thinking... hm?"<br/><br/>Orihime pauses and puts her hand on her hips, gazing at Tatsuki and Chad inquisitively. They both become unnerved.<br/><br/>"Say, I've seen you two chatting a lot, lately," Orihime wonders aloud. "What're you talking about, hmmmm?"<br/><br/>"Oh, um... it's nothing," Chad says bashfully, nervously trying to play it cool.<br/><br/>"ARE YOU TWO DATING?" Orihime asks hopefully, her eyes widening until they become oversized hearts. "Oh, I knew it! This is great: two of my favorite people becoming each other's favorite people. Oh! I'm gonna be gone for the next 10 days, but when I come back, do you two want to go on a double date with me and –"<br/><br/>"Orihime!" Tatsuki hisses sharply, mortified. "Chad and I are not a couple."<br/><br/>"Yeah, it's not like that, Inoue," Chad affirms. "We were just talking about, well..."<br/><br/>"We've been swapping mangas," Tatsuki says, digging into her backpack and pulling out a week-old magazine. "Here, Chad – here's that latest edition I was telling you about. Hope you enjoy it, goodbye!"<br/><br/>Tatsuki shoves the crinkled volume in Chad's hands and seizes Orihime by the arm, dragging her off. Chad waves after them, a relieved smile on his face.<br/><br/>"Don't embarrass me like that," Tatsuki tells Orihime. "Not every conversation between a boy and a girl is a proposal."<br/><br/>Orihime's face is green with nausea: she's so ashamed that she feels sick.<br/><br/>"Forgive me, Tatsuki-chan," she begs, bordering on hysteria. "It was so presumptuous of me! I guess I just thought you two would be cute together, y'know? He's so taaaall, and you're so petite!"<br/><br/>Tatsuki smirks at the observation. "Are you really this starved of romance in your life?"<br/><br/>"What do you mean?" Orihime asks innocently. "I have Ichigo."<br/><br/>"I said romance," Tatsuki repeats with annoyance. "Not whatever that is."<br/><br/>Orihime is stunned by the accusation. "Ichigo is very romantic!"<br/><br/><em>We cut to a flashback of Ichigo and Orihime being served ramen at a restaurant. He breaks apart his chopsticks and stirs his noodles, completely silent while she blissfully slurps back her broth.<br/><br/>"Hey... Inoue," Ichigo says after a beat. "I've been wondering..."<br/><br/>Orihime's eyes pop open, still holding the bowl to her mouth. She pauses her slurping.<br/><br/>"Um, well..." Ichigo continues, looking profoundly uncomfortable and unable to make eye contact. “Is this… this is a date, right?"<br/><br/>Orihime's face goes scarlet. She takes one big suck at the rest of her ramen, chokes on it, then forces it down and beats a fist over her chest. She gasps for air, then speedily recovers. “Do you… want it to be a date?"<br/><br/>Ichigo pauses for a beat and then shrugs. "Yeah, I guess so.”<br/><br/>Orihime is vibrating, struggling not to squeal with delight. She composes herself. "I guess so too, then!"</em><br/><br/>We return to the present moment. Orihime is practically swooning from the remembrance of that first "date." Tatsuki gives her a blank stare.<br/><br/>"He hasn't even kissed you."<br/><br/>"What are you talking about?!" Orihime says, aghast. "I already told you about our first kiss."<br/><br/><em>We briefly flashback to the moment Orihime kissed Ichigo atop the tower in Hueco Mundo, right after he defeated Grimmjow.</em><br/><br/>"That was you kissing him," Tatsuki pushes back. “Almost two years ago.”<br/><br/>"We are taking our time!" Orihime says fussily, hands indignantly on her hips now. "Just because we aren't launching into the physical doesn't mean we aren't romantic! Ichigo is a gentleman."<br/><br/>"Yeah, sure," Tatsuki says skeptically. "That or he's terrified of boobs."<br/><br/>Orihime is taken aback. She looks down and pats her bosom, wondering "What, are they scary or something?”<br/><br/>Vrooooooooom!<br/><br/>A motorcyclist whizzes past the pair, snatching Tatsuki's bag from her grip.<br/><br/>"Hey!" Tatsuki cries out, giving chase. "Asshole!"<br/><br/>The thief turns back with sneer, flipping Tatsuki the finger. He is promptly knocked off from his perch by a kick from Uryū Ishida. The thug crashes against the pavement, his motorcycle veering off and skidding to a halt. Tatsuki and Orihime watch with surprise as Uryū unhurriedly strides over to the groaning thug, renders him unconscious with a swift punch, and plucks up the backpack.<br/><br/>"Here, Arisawa," Uryū says, walking over to hand Tatuski her bag. "I believe this is yours."<br/><br/>"Thanks, but I would have handled it myself," Tatsuki says begrudgingly, slinging her backpack over her shoulders.<br/><br/>"Now that's just ungrateful, Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime scolds her best friend. "Thank you sooooo much for your gallantry, Ishida-kun!"<br/><br/>"I just happened to be around," Uryū says flatly. He continues on his way, the two girls watching him leave.<br/><br/><em>Karakura Town was rebuilt immediately after Aizen's invasion, but its internal scars still run deep</em>, Uryū thinks worriedly to himself as he steps over the thug he had clocked out. <em>There are less Hollow attacks, but petty crime has skyrocketed. After all those people lost, all that trauma... this place isn't the same. It doesn't help with all these gangs forming...</em><br/><br/>The Quincy kneels down to inspect the unconscious biker, spotting the identifying crest sewn into his jacket: a hawk skeleton with its wings spread wide.<br/><br/><em>Another member of the Bōnhōku</em>, Uryū recognizes.<br/><br/>The <b>Bōnhōku</b> have become a pernicious menace in Karakura Town and its neighbors. A collection of teenagers and prison-hardened adults, they prowl the streets to rampantly commit petty theft and intimidation of local businesses. The mayor’s office has fielded countless calls to bolster the police force to deal with the gang.<br/><br/>Vrooom, vroooom!<br/><br/>Uryū hears the thrum of another motorcycle charge up beside him. He turns to see a biker, clad in white leather and face shielded behind a helmet, puttering right beside him.<br/><br/>"Smooth moves you got there," the motorcyclist says, lifting up his visor to reveal piercing green eyes and eccentrically angular eyebrows. He stares Uryū down, his glare bordering on maniacal. "You're something of a sheriff in this town, aren't ya… Ishida Uryū?"<br/><br/>"How do you know my name?" Uryū asks tersely.<br/><br/>"Your reputation proceeds you," the biker cackles beneath his helmet. "In this world and the next. I’ll be keeping an eye on you – don’t get into too much trouble.”<br/><br/>The mysterious biker revs his engine, giving Uryū a parting glare before riding off. Uryū watches with unease as the rider disappears out of view.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/><b>THE NEXT DAY</b><br/><br/>"Rise and shine, Ichigoooooooo!" Isshin cries out, lunging to chop his son awake.<br/><br/>Ichigo springs up from his bed, grasps his father by the arm and flings him out the window. Isshin grasps the windowsill at the last second, dangling outside of Kurosaki Clinic.<br/><br/>"What the hell was that?" Isshin protests, crawling back into the bedroom. "You almost just killed your old man!"<br/><br/>"Yeah, yeah," Ichigo retorts, groggily rubbing his orange hair. "Like you're not just gonna fly if you need to.”<br/><br/>"It's not flying: it's using Reishi in the air as footholds," Isshin counters, rather pedantically.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/>Ichigo steps into the kitchen, greeted by Yuzuru.<br/><br/>"Morning, big brother!" the fair-haired Kurosaki sister says in singsong patter, handing him a carton of orange juice.<br/><br/>Ichigo pours himself a glass while spying Karin, who looks sullen at the kitchen table and drinking a cup of coffee of all things.<br/><br/>"You're a little young for caffeine, aren't you?" he asks.<br/><br/>Karin responds with a narrowing of her eyes. She holds the mug up to her lips defiantly.<br/><br/>"Oh, it's that kind of morning again..." Ichigo says derisively. "Not gonna talk, huh?"<br/><br/>Karin doesn't reply, annoying him to no end. <em>I can tell that her spiritual awareness has only gotten stronger</em>, he thinks. <em>But she hasn't asked me for any help, so I guess she must be coping alright</em>.<br/><br/>Karin and Yuzu both have sprouted in height in the last 17 months, both clad in school uniforms that are reminiscent of sailor outfits. Yuzu's been her cheerful self all this time, but Karin has noticeably acted more sullen, prone to long bouts of silence. It's been a point of contention for Ichigo, but Isshin doesn't seem to mind.<br/><br/>“Is Orihime coming over tonight?” Yuzu asks, looking very hopeful. She’s come to view Inoue like a big sister.<br/><br/>“I thought I told you,” Ichigo says between gulps of his juice. “She’s heading off on a field trip this morning. I’m gonna walk her to the train station before school.”<br/><br/>“What!” Yuzu exclaims. “She’s leaving? For how long?”<br/><br/>“10 days,” Ichigo answers.<br/><br/>Back when Orihime had trained with Hachigen and the Visoreds, she had repeatedly told classmates she was going to a debate club extracurricular. When the Karakura Debate Club caught wind of this, they confronted her and roped her into actually joining the team. Orihime proved to be surprisingly adept at arguing, showing a fieriness in the realm of debate that she had never exhibited in conversation or the battlefield. The club is now competing in the nationals, with Orihime as their star player.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>“That ought to do it!” Orihime chirpily concludes as she stuffs her blowdryer atop an absurdly tall mountain of stuff in her suitcase. Not accustomed to traveling, she’s somehow gotten it into her head that one must bring all of their belongings on any trip that lasts longer than a week. She struggles to shut the overstuffed case: punching it, sitting on it, stomping the items down until she finally crams everything down enough to zip up.<br/><br/>Orihime exits her apartment, her suitcase looking like a boulder as she drags it behind her on rollers. Ichigo is waiting for her on the street.<br/><br/>“How much did you pack?!” he exclaims, flummoxed by the size of her cargo.<br/><br/>“Just the essentials,” Orihime muses. “Candles to hold vigils and pray for great success at the debates, a football and baseball in case I want to play a game of Yakka, my toothbrush…”<br/><br/>Ichigo smiles softly. He’s learned to just accept Orihime’s quirks.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>The couple walk by the park on the way to the train station, Ichigo insisting on heaving the enormous suitcase for Orihime. They seem to enjoy each other’s presence, but are curiously quiet. After a beat, Orihime breaks the silence.<br/><br/>“I remember when you always offered to walk me home every time we saw each other,” she reflects.<br/><br/>“And I remember how you’d always say no,” Ichigo replies.<br/><br/>Orihime pauses, then grasps his arm. “I’m glad you walk me places now, though,” she says sweetly.<br/><br/>Ichigo smiles back, but Orihime can see that there’s a wistfulness in his eyes.<br/><br/>“Are you still… sad about Shinji and the others?”<br/><br/>Ichigo is taken aback. He didn’t think she’d ever broach it.<br/><br/><em>We FLASHBACK two months ago to the bridge overlooking the river where Ichigo and Shinji would rendezvous in the early stages of his Hollow Suppression training. Ichigo squeezes the rail and gazes out at Karakura Town, Orihime beside him. Shinji Hirako, Hiyori Sarugaki, Kensei Muguruma, Love Aikawa, and Lisa Yadōmaru all stand before them, having just shared some surprising news.<br/><br/>“You’re really going back?” Ichigo asks, flummoxed. He doesn’t know how to feel about it. “I thought you’d never forgive Soul Society.”<br/><br/>“Who said anything about forgiveness?” Hiyori retorts, earning her shushing looks from her fellow Visoreds.<br/><br/>“The offer to be reinstated back into the Gotei 13 came directly from Genryūsai himself,” Shinji recounts. “Central 46 has backed the decision… it’s a chance to return to our old lives.”<br/><br/>Ichigo imperceptibly winces at the sentiment. He is trying to suppress the jealousy he feels. “You’re really sure you want to go back?”<br/><br/>“We’ve spent a hundred years doing time for Aizen’s crime,” Shinji replies. “We could nurse old grudges, or we could get back to being who we really are.”<br/><br/>“The truth is we belong in the Seireitei,” Love adds. “Just like you belong here, kid.”<br/><br/>Ichigo is silent for a beat, then summons a smile. “I’m happy for you,” he tells his former mentors. Orihime nods in agreement.</em><br/><br/>We return to the present moment. Ichigo reflects on the memory while shaking his head. “I haven’t even really thought about it,” he reassures Orihime.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>The couple is now at the train station. Ichigo, with a surprising amount of effort, hands Orihime’s suitcase to a flustered train attendant, who wheels it off cursing under his breath. The debate team – comprised mostly of girls – all gawk at Ichigo and Orihime, in awe of their star debater and her fetching boyfriend. The attention makes Ichigo’s face go pink.<br/><br/>“Do you need me to water your plants while you’re gone?” he asks.<br/><br/>“Oh no, don’t worry,” Orihime perkily replies. “I brought them with me. So… see you in 10 days?”<br/><br/>Ichigo gives a nod and a smile. “I’ll be right here, at this spot, when you get back.”<br/><br/>Orihime nearly swoons. “Make some time for me when I get back, okay?”<br/><br/>“I will,” Ichigo nods.<br/><br/>He watches Orihime board the train with her adoring teammates. She situates herself in a window seat, gazing out at him through the glass pane. He gives the meekest of waves and she responds with an enthusiastic fluttering of her hand as the locomotive departs.<br/><br/>Orihime’s face is the very picture of unbridled joy as she waves goodbye to Ichigo. Once he is out of view, her expression gradually drops into profound sadness.<br/><br/><em>Ichigo tried his best to mask it, but I could see his hurt</em>, she thinks. We briefly glance back to when Ichigo walked Orihime to the train station from her perspective: he keeps giving reassuring smiles, but is also emitting a blue, forlorn aura.<br/><br/><em>His heart has been broken ever since he lost his powers,</em> Orihime reflects. <em>This whole time we’ve been together, he’s been sad. I keep acting like everything is fine, but Tatsuki’s right… he’s unhappy. He keeps acting like he’s not. Is it just to spare my feelings? Maybe… maybe I’m what’s making him sad. Ichigo… if letting you go would finally make you happy, then I’ll gladly be sad for the rest of my life.</em><br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/><b>SOUL SOCIETY - THAT MORNING</b><br/><br/>The Seireitei has returned to some semblance of normalcy again. Following Aizen’s defeat, several captains and lieutenants have taken it upon themselves to train intensely. Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya is often found in his cave, conjuring stalactites of ice as he hones his powers with exhausting discipline. Meanwhile, Captain Jūshirō Ukitake has largely been confined to his wheelchair. The wounds he sustained during the battle against Aizen exacerbated his illness to a perilous degree. The 13th Division captain has grown more frail, his combat days likely behind him. He has busied himself with managing the Great Spirits Library.<br/><br/>We hone in on Shūhei Hisagi on a grassy field, his Zanpakutō drawn and breathing steady. His eyes are shut tight, as if in a trance. This is meditative training – he is attempting to clear his mind of all distraction so he may detect any incoming attack. His emptied thoughts curdle when the image of former Captain Kaname Tōsen erupting into a geyser of blood flits through his memory.<br/><br/>Hisagi gasps and his eyes snap open, only for him to be struck hard across the face by Captain Kensei Muguruma’s fist. The lieutenant skids across the field, tearing up patches of grass in his wake. A troop of Ninth Division Shinigami watch as their newly reinstalled captain berates his subordinate.<br/><br/>“What did I tell you about giving in to distraction?” Kensei barks irately. “Empty your thoughts and find your inner chill – like I do!”<br/><br/>“Excuse me, captain?” a Ninth Division cadet asks, raising her hand. “What is ‘chill?’”<br/><br/>“Modern lingo from the World of the Living,” Kensei grits back. “Now you know – you’re welcome.”<br/><br/>Kensei strides over to Hisagi, arms crossed. “I don’t tolerant stumbling amateurs – you better get your act together,” the captain warns. “I ain’t gonna baby you like Tōsen did.”<br/><br/>Hisagi winces at the invocation of his former captain’s name. He rises up, rubbing his bruised jaw. “I’ll try harder, captain,” he promises.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Hisagi is now in his bed, lying restlessly awake in the dead of night. Adjusting to Captain Kensei has been jarring – his style so different from Tōsen’s teachings. He idolized Kensei in childhood, but now he’s discovering just what an asshole he can be. But that’s not what’s bothering him – he can’t get the memory of Tōsen’s death out of his mind of late.<br/><br/><em>We FLASHBACK to 16 months ago, shortly after the White Invasion was thwarted. Hisagi stands in Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s laboratory, shocked by the information that’s being relayed.<br/><br/>“Kaname Tōsen perished of Soul Suicide,” Mayuri informs the Lieutenant. “There is no mistaking the manner of his death.”<br/><br/>“Soul… Suicide?” Hisagi repeats back with a gasp. “How can you be sure?”<br/><br/>“I collected a sample of his ‘remains’ during the reconstruction of Karakura Town,” the captain explains impatiently. “Upon inspection of the residue, it was clear what had happened: Tōsen underwent an evolution from the Hōgyoku that gave him the powers of both Shinigami and Hollow. A highly combustible mix, and his transformation was more evolved than any other I have seen. However, his greed for power overcame whatever commonsense he possessed. Based on Captain Komamura’s report, Tōsen underwent a Hollow Resurrección, taking his reconfigured soul to an unstable plane of existence. When you stabbed him in the back…”<br/><br/>We briefly glimpse the moment Hisagi impaled Kazeshini into the back of the transformed Tōsen’s neck, releasing the reaping scythe.<br/><br/>“... His untenable soul crumbled like a house of cards,” Mayuri continues. “And so Kaname Tōsen, former captain of the Gotei 13, succumbed to Soul Suicide: self-destruction as a result of Hollowfication.”<br/><br/>Hisagi is horrified. “But that means… Captain Tōsen…”<br/><br/>“– Has ceased to exist, yes,” Mayuri concludes, wheeling around to peer at something under a microscope. “Snuffed out of the cycle of reincarnation. An unfortunate fate… which he helped inflict on a fellow Gotei captain and lieutenant a century ago, I will remind you.”<br/><br/>Hisagi reflects on the truth of this: Captain Rōjurō ‘Rose’ Ōtoribashi and Lieutenant Mashiro Kuna had both succumbed to Soul Suicide when Aizen, Tōsen, and Gin attempted to Hollowfy them and the other Visoreds over a hundred years ago. Perhaps it was karma that Tōsen would meet the same fate. However, Hisagi feels gutted knowing that he was instrumental in Kaname perishing from the cycle of rebirth altogether.<br/><br/>“Are you still here?” Mayuri asks annoyedly, not looking up from his microscope.</em><br/><br/>We return to the present. Hisagi clasps at his chest in the dark of night, struggling to steady his breath as he feels a surge of guilt. “Captain Tōsen,” he rasps. “… Forgive me.”<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/><b>KARAKURA TOWN: THAT NIGHT</b><br/><br/>Tatsuki is in her apartment, feeding her pet Japanese Weasel, Ringo. The lithe critter has a gentle disposition, in direct contrast with his owner’s tempestuous nature. The rodent happily chips away at a pellet as Tatsuki hears something ping against her window – a pebble. She goes to the windowsill and spots Chad down on the street, flicking pebbles to get her attention. It’s a gesture straight out of teen soap operas.<br/><br/><em>Cut it out</em>, Tatsuki gestures with her hand before holding up a finger, beckoning for<em> Just a minute</em>. She turns to the weasel in his cage: “You’re coming with me tonight, Ringo.”<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Tatsuki emerges from her apartment, dressed in discrete black as if she were a cat burglar. A satchel is slung around her waist.<br/><br/>“You’re looking way too flashy for tonight, Chad,” she remarks, annoyedly eyeing his bright red Hawaiian shirt.<br/><br/>Chad inspects himself, remarking “I’m not sure I even own anything in black, come to think of it. You ready?”<br/><br/>Tatsuki nods – “Ready.”<br/><br/>They bump fists, then perk up as a nondescript, almost junky white van drives up. The side door slides open: a regal woman with dark skin and a posh demeanor sticks her head out. Her name is Jackie Tristan.<br/><br/>“Your carriage has arrived,” Jackie says saucily, her accent possessing a British affect. “The Bōnhōku are congregating at the ‘Shiver Timber’ and currently dousing themselves in libation. Shall we?”</p><hr/><p><br/><strong>THE SHIVER TIMBER - CONTINUOUS</strong><br/><br/>The roadside bar known as ‘Shiver Timber’ has been flooded with Bōnhōku members, the bartenders being forced to serve an assortment of tough customers who may or may not pay once they’ve had their fill. Punks in leather, denim, chains, and most of all ‘bone’ piercings cavort in the bar: getting aggressive and rowdy. The bar itself has a throwback charm, bearing the style of a pirate saloon – complete with rickety planks for floorboards and chandeliers for illumination. It’s conspicuously high-production value for a bar in a place like Karakura Town.<br/><br/>“Oy!,” shouts Abanji Hotoro, the leader of Bōnhōku. Stout and unwashed, he is a not-too-bright behemoth with a bone piercing slotted through his septum and a bowl cut topping his swollen dome. Clad in denim with the gang crest emblazoned on the back, he cuts an unforgettable silhouette. He pounds the bar counter again to get the attention of his server. “I said ‘Oy!’ When did you open? I hadn’t heard of you lot before.”<br/><br/>A striking young woman with magenta pigtails turns to give the head gang honcho a snide look. “It’s our opening night,” she says flatly, spraying soda water into a glass that is already overflowing.<br/><br/>“Coulda sworn there was nothing on this street just the other day,” Hotoro continues, quite drunk already. “You suckers build fast. Well, you oughta feel honored – you’ve been christened by the Bōnhōku!”<br/><br/>The oversized lowlife hurls his beer bottle across the bar – it shatters against one of his lackey’s head. Hotoro throws back his head and roars with laughter. The magenta-haired girl frowns, every line on his face crinkling with disapproval. She looks to her colleague – a tall middle-aged man with a thin face and thick mustache, a leather strap fastened around his right eye. He gives her a dry shrug while expertly pouring a round a whiskey across six glasses.<br/><br/>The nondescript van pulls up in the parking lot, which is flanked with dozens of parked motorcycles. A roughshod banner is slung under the bar’s sign, reading Bōnhōku Are Welcome!<br/><br/>Chad and Tatsuki emerge from the van, giving each other a nod. Tatsuki unzips her satchel; Ringo sticks his head out from the flap, darting his sleek head with curiosity at his surroundings.<br/><br/>“We’re up to bat, buddy,” Tatsuki tells her furry friend.<br/><br/>Inside the bar, a pint-sized Bōnhōku member with a buzzed mohawk and an aggressive attitude is imploring the magenta-haired woman to serve him.<br/><br/>“C’mon, I’m old enough to party, sweetheart,” he insists.<br/><br/>“… You’re wearing a school uniform,” the bartender replies, unimpressed. “And I’m not sweet. At all.”<br/><br/>The punk frowns. Indeed he is wearing his uniform – the school jacket is parted to reveal a red shirt with a demon face emblazoned on it. He pounds the bar counter with his conspicuously bandaged hand.<br/><br/>“I’m the muscle of this operation, and I demand a drink!” he protests.<br/><br/>Suddenly, a motorcycle bursts through the front door of premises, barreling across the tables. The gangsters leap out of the way, hollering and yelping. The vein in Hotoro’s temple nearly bursts with rage – “That’s my bike!” he cries out, drawing an oversized knife from his belt.<br/><br/>The gangsters all glare at the ruined entrance – in steps Chad, both his Brazo Derecha de Gigante and Brazo Izquierda del Diablo are activated.<br/><br/>“That oughta teach you not to park in the handicap spot,” he remarks dryly.<br/><br/>“Why, you!” Hotoro cries out. “I’m gonna carve out your eyes and use ‘em as dice!”<br/><br/>The gangster honcho slings back his dagger and flings it with spinning force towards Chad. Suddenly, the eye-patched bartender sets down the bottle of whiskey and casts forward his hand. “Nagabari no Tokei (Long Hand of the Clock),” he mutters. To all of the Bōnhōku gangsters’ shock, Hotoro’s dagger slows to a crawl mid-spin, suspended in the air and arching towards Chad with the slowed velocity of ferris wheel revolutions.<br/><br/>“This is our town,” Tatsuki’s voice calls out. She emerges from behind Chad, looking radically different: she is clad in a pelt with the orange-brown hue of Ringo’s fur. Her right eye is encircled with a maroon ring, as if tattooed.<br/><br/>“And you’re not welcome here anymore,” Tatsuki adds. She regards the slow-moving dagger arching through the air and punches at it. A shockwave of wind launches from her fist – catching the dagger and sending it spinning rapid-fire in reverse. The knife whirrs an inch past Hotoro’s face before burying itself into one of the bar’s support beams.<br/><br/>“Get ‘em!” Hotoro cries out, gesturing at Chad and Tatsuki along with the bartenders. “And get them, too!”<br/><br/>The dozens of Bōnhōku all launch from their perches, launching at Chad and Tatsuki with chains, knives, bats, and brass knuckles. Chad sidesteps a swing from one gang member and gives him a halfhearted strike in the chest – sending the thug flying across the bar.<br/><br/>Tatsuki, meanwhile, pounces up onto the ceiling, a fleeting twister conjuring in her wake. Three gang members are caught in the brief whirlwind, smacking into each other before the gust dissipates. Tatsuki launches back down, her feet propelled by an elastic snap of green energy – Bringer Light. Her foot connects square against a Bōnhōku member’s face.<br/><br/>The two bartenders – Riruka Dokugamine and Giriko Kutsuzawa – bemusedly watch as throngs of Bōnhōku climb over the bar counter to attack them. Riruka swipes her hand, a rickety plank affixed to the counter flipping up as if pried by puppet strings. It smacks one gang member flat in the face, knocking him out cold.<br/><br/>Giriko takes the bottle of whiskey he had been tending and throws it up at the ceiling – it shatters and rains down shards of glass. “Tanshin no Tokei (Short Hand of the Clock),” Giriko mutters under his breath: the glass conversely plunges down at blink-and-you-miss-it speed, the added velocity proving devastating as the shards embed themselves in the hapless, shrieking gangsters.<br/><br/>Several members of Bōnhōku pour out of the bar to reach their bikes. They are confronted in the parking lot by Jackie – who looks sleek in her immaculate outfit. The only thing out of place about her wardrobe are the ratty boots.<br/><br/>“Hello boys,” Jackie coos before swinging back one leg and kicking it into one of the Bōnhōku motorcycles – the vehicle flings forward like it’s been slung by a slingshot, barreling up into the collection of parked bikes and decimating them. The Bōnhōku all squeal in fear and retreat back inside of the bar, where they won’t fare any better.<br/><br/>“Moe!” Hotoro cries out, alarmed. “Do what you’re good for!”<br/><br/>Moe Shishigawara, the Bōnhōku member obviously too young to party, leaps off his chair and launches at Tatsuki.<br/><br/>“You’re gonna regret messing with us!” the punk cries out with exuberance. “Eat this!”<br/><br/>Moe swings his right fist, his knuckle connecting against Tatsuki’s face. She flinches back an imperceptible inch, holds steady, and gives Moe a glare. She’s taken harder licks before.<br/><br/>“Aw, dammit,” Moe curses under his breath.<br/><br/>“Was that supposed to hurt?” Tatsuki taunts. She stomps her foot onto the floorboard beneath – it swings up like a seesaw and thwacks Moe right in the groin. The punk squeals and doubles over, clutching between his legs while gasping for breath.<br/><br/>“Alright, this is getting tedious,” Riruka says, hopping up on the bar counter while sipping a shot. “Time to mop up.” She twirls her hand – the chandelier above elongates downward in response and swings around like a battering ram from above – knocking out scores of Bōnhōku.<br/><br/>Hotoro looks around in a panic, realizing that he’s the only gang member still left in fighting shape. “Stay back!” he cries as Chad strides toward him.<br/><br/>The gang leader is launched out from the bar like a well-tossed baseball, landing in a heap in the parking lot. Groaning, he struggles to get back up.<br/><br/>Suddenly, the driver door of the nondescript van opens. An imposing figure steps out, their steps crunching against the gravel as they stride up to Hotoro. The Bōnhōku leader woozily looks up to see a tall man with a slicked-back mane that reaches the white fringe of his jacket. His name is Kūgo Ginjō.<br/><br/>“You’re the leader of the Bōnhōku, eh?” Ginjō remarks. “Pardon me if I don’t quake before you, oh feared one.”<br/><br/>“Whoever you are,” Hotoro grits, spitting out pebbles of gravel. “You’re all gonna pay for this.”<br/><br/>Ginjō’s face scrunches with mild annoyance. He plucks at the X-shaped pendant slotted onto his necklace, shaped like a Saltire Cross. There is a flash of green energy and suddenly Hotoro’s nose is being tickled by the tip of an enormous broadsword in Ginjō’s grasp. The gang leader yelps, shrinking back and cowering on the ground.<br/><br/>“We are your XCution,” Ginjō announces. “Karakura Town is ours, along with Kagamino and Naruki City. If I see you and your band of pimpled dumbasses here again, I’ll pick your nose with this blade. Now get lost.”<br/><br/>Hotoro leaps up and flees for his life, followed by a steady stream of all his Bōnhōku from the now-ruined bar. Chad, Tatsuki, Giriko, and Riruka all emerge after them, admiring their handiwork.<br/><br/>“I wager they’ve gotten the message,” Giriko remarks.<br/><br/>Riruka turns to the emptied Shiver Timber, hands on her hips. “You all could have been a little more restrained,” she remarks. “Ah, well – Yo-ho-go!”<br/><br/>The bar contorts and shrinks down into a dollhouse – small enough to carry around.<br/><br/>“Yasutora, be a dear and load that into the van for me,” Riruka asks Chad. He nods and complies.<br/><br/>“You two did well tonight,” Jackie remarks, eyeing Chad and Tatsuki with pride. “It’s enough to make me a little sentimental.”<br/><br/>“I wouldn’t have even realized this power without your help,” Tatsuki replies. “And Ginjō: thank you for showing us who we really are, and for helping us retake Karakura Town.”<br/><br/>“Alright, well it’s not like I didn’t do anything,” Riruka mutters under her breath. “I’m right here, you could thank me, too. But whatever, it's cool.”<br/><br/>“We're grateful to all of you,” Chad says while loading the dollhouse into the van. “Now we’re ready to hold up our end of the bargain. You can count on us.”<br/><br/>Ginjō’s face drops a bit.<br/><br/>“About that,” the XCution leader remarks. “We’ve run into a snag. One I’m not sure we can figure our way out of.”<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Hotoro berates his men as they trudge through the streets, all of them exhausted.<br/><br/>“That was pathetic!” the gang leader rasps, his veins ready to pop from rage. “We’re the Bōnhōku! We don’t put up with shit! And Shishigawara – what the hell was that?”<br/><br/>“I just got unlucky,” Moe grimaces, nursing his nuts as he struggles to keep up with the group. “But Hotoro-sama, I got an idea.”<br/><br/>Hotoro rears around to give Moe a furious look. “You weren’t brought into the gang for your ideas, Shishi.”<br/><br/>“My Senpai,” Moe continues. “I can introduce you to my Senpai. He’s the certified number one badass. He’d be able to handle all those losers, no problem.”<br/><br/>“What, do you mean you got a <em>Sensei</em>?” Hotoro asks incredulously.<br/><br/>“Trust me,” Moe grins. “They won’t know what hit ‘em.”</p><p> </p><p>
  
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  <strong> <em>ARC Outro Theme - "Harukaze" by SCANDAL</em> </strong>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. THE LOST AGENT: Nostalgia Musk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ichigo meets his XCution, the Visoreds play cards, and the Bōnhoku get a new leader.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
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</p><p><b>- URAHARA SHOP -</b><br/>
<br/>
The door opens in Urahara Shop, the bell sounding a peal. Ururu Tsumugiya – who conspicuously hasn’t aged a day since we last saw her – looks up from sweeping the floor to see a smiling Yuzu Kurosaki.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, Yuzu,” Ururu says in her shy wisp of a voice. “Welcome –“<br/>
<br/>
There is the sound of frenzied galloping from the backroom, crescendoing as Jinta Hanakari bursts into the main foyer. His eyes practically bursting with hearts, he flash-steps right beside Yuzu with a watermelon that he had speedily plucked from the aisles. While Yuzu’s growth spurt since the White Invasion hasn’t made her especially tall, she still towers over him now.<br/>
<br/>
“Yuzu-chan, so lovely to see you again!” Jinta says in the suavest voice he can muster. “I earmarked the freshest produce we got just for you – at a discount, of course.”<br/>
<br/>
“I already told you, we don’t attract enough customers to be giving out discounts,” Ururu protests meekly.<br/>
<br/>
Yuzu is blushing with both embarrassment and flattery as Jinta plies her with tokens of his affection. He halts his giveaway spree when Urahara Kisuke enters from the backroom.<br/>
<br/>
“Ah, Miss Kurosaki,” Urahara says with his laidback, almost spacey manner. “How nice of you to stop by again. Your patronage is always appreciated.”<br/>
<br/>
Jinta bundles up the groceries in an oversized brown bag. “Would you like for me to carry this for you?” he asks, hefting the payload. “I can walk you home!”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, thank you so much for offering, but I’ll manage,” Yuzu replies demurely. She takes the bag and nearly topples over from the weight, regaining her balance after teetering a smidge.<br/>
<br/>
“I haven’t seen your brother around here in quite some time,” Urahara notes. “How is he?”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh… same old Ichigo!” Yuzu laughs nervously. “Always a little grumpy.”<br/>
<br/>
“And your sister?”<br/>
<br/>
“Also grumpy!”<br/>
<br/>
“Birds of a feather, those two,” Urahara smiles cryptically, fanning himself. “Give your father my regards.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yuzu, wait –“ Jinta says. The teenage girl stops at the entrance, looking back at him with a blank expression. “Um, are you going to the carnival this week?” Jinta asks, his cheeks as red as his hair as he summons the courage.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, yes! Big brother promised to take us,” Yuzu answers perkily.<br/>
<br/>
“Well…” Jinta coughs, striking a manly pose. “If you’d like to ditch the siblings, it’d be my honor to escort you.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh…” Yuzu whispers, not sure how to respond. After a long beat, she decides to finally rip the band-aid off. “That’s very sweet, Jinta-chan, but… I don’t go out with boys shorter than me.”<br/>
<br/>
If Jinta could crack like glass and shatter, he would.<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you all again!” Yuzu calls back as she exits, leaving Jinta slack-jawed with humiliation.<br/>
<br/>
“… <em>Ouch</em>,” Urahara whistles. “Well, rejection is a part of the human experience. Consider it a chance to grow… er, um. Whoops.”<br/>
<br/>
Jinta spins to give his Maker the stink eye, pointing at him accusingly. “Why can’t I get taller?!”<br/>
<br/>
“Well first we would need to age,” Ururu answers resignedly, resuming her sweeping.<br/>
<br/>
“This… this is bull, Urahara-san!” Jinta says angrily. “I’m sick of being 10-years-old!”<br/>
<br/>
Urahara is a little taken aback, unsure of how to respond. He is saved when Tessai Tsukabishi emerges from the backroom, carrying a tray of tea.<br/>
<br/>
“Jinta, enough of this, now,” the Kidō Master chides. “You need to finish polishing the windows.”<br/>
<br/>
The red-haired Mod Soul grumbles and stomps off the resume wiping down the storefront.<br/>
<br/>
“You should take pride in how willful he is,” Tessai tells Urahara sympathetically. “There are few of his like.”<br/>
<br/>
“Sometimes I fear I did him a disservice by giving him that trait,” Urahara says wistfully, his eyes gleaming under the brim of his hat. Ururu casts him a sombre look before returning to dutifully sweeping.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>- KARAKURA PARK -</b><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo very carefully considers his next move, his brows knitted in deep concentration. He plucks up a white stone with the dramatic pomp that he used to flex when swinging Zangetsu. With the intensity of thrusting a sword, he plants the stone onto the board. He is playing a game of Go.<br/>
<br/>
Uryū flicks his black stone like a coin toss. It lands with a plunk onto the board, completing his diagram.<br/>
<br/>
“I win,” the Quincy calmly announces.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo grates his teeth as he observes the board, recognizing that Ishida is right. <em>That’s his fourth win in a row today</em>, he thinks to himself. <em>Why can’t I beat him?</em><br/>
<br/>
“You’re wondering why you keep losing to me?” Uryū asks rhetorically, pushing up his glasses. “There are two reasons: The first reason is that I have been playing Go since I was five while you are still an amateur. The second reason is that, even at your strongest, your sense of strategy has always been woeful.”<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t know why I even keep playing with you,” Ichigo grumbles, his eyebrow twitching and lips pursed as he sifts a clump of white stones between his fingers.<br/>
<br/>
“The reason why you do,” Uryū continues on eruditely, carefully retrieving each of the stones he laid out on the board, “is because this is the only arena in which we can continue to compete.”<br/>
<br/>
<em>Asshole</em>, Ichigo thinks. Still, he knows deep down that Uryū speaks truth: their weekly Go sessions have been his only source of competition, progression, or even stimulation in the last 17 months. He keeps getting his ass kicked, but he’s getting better each time they play. That part feels gratifying, at least.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Ichigo and Uryū walk up the park staircase to reach the hillside road overhead. They reach the top step, Ichigo awkwardly pausing – as if unsure of where he’ll go. Uryū casts him a scrutinizing look.<br/>
<br/>
“You didn’t expect to continue hanging out with me, did you?” the Quincy asks.<br/>
<br/>
“Of course not; I gotta report to my boss, anyway,” Ichigo replies defensively, hands dug into his pockets. “Have you… hung out with Chad, lately?”<br/>
<br/>
“I have not,” Ishida answers. “He’s seems to be spending most of his time with Arisawa.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, I noticed that,” Ichigo admits, awkwardly scratching his shock of orange hair. “I haven’t seen him much, and Tatsuki…well, she hasn’t been my biggest fan for a while.”<br/>
<br/>
“Are you trying to imply something, Kurosaki?” Ishida asks with an arched brow.<br/>
<br/>
“Well, I’m kinda realizing…” Ichigo mumbles, not even able to make eye contact. “… I guess you’re my closest friend, now.”<br/>
<br/>
There is a long beat shared between them. Ishida stares at Ichigo blankly.<br/>
<br/>
“That is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”<br/>
<br/>
With that, Ishida turns and strides off, leaving Ichigo feeling stung – and unsure of what other kind of reply he expected.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo’s phone starts vibrating. He looks at the caller ID, winces, and answers.<br/>
<br/>
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” Ikumi Unagiya barks from the other line. “I have orders stacking up and you’ve been completely radio silent! Get your ass here or you’re fired!”<br/>
<br/>
“Like the last 20 times you’ve fired me?” Ichigo sighs. “I was just about to make my way to the shop. Cool your jets.”<br/>
<br/>
“MY JETS WILL MELT YOUR FACE IF YOU DON’T GET HERE – NOW!”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>- UNAGIYA SHOP -</b><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo reaches the place of his employment, tagging the sign with a swat of his hand before running up the steps to the second floor. The sign reads as <em>UNAGIYA: Cheap! Fast! Safe! From Cat-Sitting To Person-Tracking! We Do It All!</em><br/>
<br/>
Ikumi, a single mom with an aptitude for resourcefulness, runs the entire business from her apartment.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo enters, unsurprised to hear Ikumi fielding customer calls with rage.<br/>
<br/>
“You want two specials?!” she barks into the phone. “You fool, we’re not an eel shop!”<br/>
<br/>
The frazzled businesswoman slams down the phone and turns back to glare at Ichigo. Imposingly beautiful, in her mid-30s, and eyes filled with annoyance, she strikes a blue collar visage with her brown cap and goggles fastened to her raven hair.<br/>
<br/>
“Maybe you ought to change the name of the business?” Ichigo suggests. “They’re just gonna keep seeing ‘Unagiya’ and assuming ‘eel shop.’ I don’t blame them.”<br/>
<br/>
“Over my dead body!” Ikumi retorts. “My family name has been passed down for generations. It’s a matter of respecting those who came before you. Now, let’s get down to all these orders that are overdue! Mrs. Kondo needs her rabbit looked after! Mr. Yamashita needs his lawn mowed! Mrs. Fukushima has rat traps to collect!”<br/>
<br/>
“Okay, okay,” Ichigo grumbles. “One at a time, damn.”<br/>
<br/>
“Mommy!” a soft voice calls out from the other room. Ikumi freezes, seeing the doorknob jostle. “<em>Shit</em>,” she mutters under her breath. In a flash, she’s tossed off the hat and slapped on an apron, receiving her sleepy son with open arms.<br/>
<br/>
“Awww, my sweet little Kaoru!” she coos, kneeling down to dote on her son. “Are you hungry?”<br/>
<br/>
Kaoru spies Ichigo over his mother’s shoulder. He frowns.<br/>
<br/>
“<em>He</em>’s here again?” the kid moans. He pulls at his lower eyelid and sticks his tongue out at Ichigo. “You better not be getting any ideas with my Mom, creep!”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, honey,” Ikumi says reassuringly, shooing her boy into the other room. “Go and play with your toys – I’ll fix you some supper in a minute.”<br/>
<br/>
She looks back at Ichigo with a sympathetic look. “Sorry – he just doesn’t like you. He <em>is</em> a good judge of character, though.”<br/>
<br/>
“<em>Tch</em>,” Ichigo harrumphs, arms crossed. “His radar must be off if he thinks I’d have the hots for an old lady–“<br/>
<br/>
Ikumi irately swats Ichigo over the head, her eyes bulging with fury. “LEARN TO REFER TO YOUR ELDERS WITH RESPECT!” she roars. “GET THE LAWNMOWER, DUMBASS!”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/>
THE GREAT SPIRITS LIBRARY</b><br/>
<br/>
Shūhei Hisagi makes his way through the 50th floor of the Great Spirits Library, nimbly dodging the harried clerks as they hurriedly wheel around carts stacked with scrolls and tomes. He leaves the hallway to reach the structure’s main section: a massive wing with shelves upon shelves of Shinigami history. A railed pathway encircles a gaping chasm with rungs of tiered archives descending below.<br/>
<br/>
Captain Jūshirō Ukitake of the 13th Division is awaiting him before the railing, resting back in his wheelchair. He is flanked by Third Seat Sentarō Kotsubaki.<br/>
<br/>
“Lieutenant Hisagi,” Ukitake beams with his characteristic good-natureness. “I was glad to hear you’d be paying us a visit. I can remember when you clerked here for a spell.”<br/>
<br/>
Hisagi briefly remembers the rather miserable time he worked as a grunt in the Great Spirits Library. It was a common job for Rukongai immigrants who came to the Seireitei and enrolled in Shin’ō Academy, often considered a naturalization exercise as well as a rite of passage.<br/>
<br/>
“Captain Ukitake,” Hisagi nods respectfully. “Have you been well?”<br/>
<br/>
Ukitake smiles and gives a shrug. “I am managing fine. Now, what can I help you with?”<br/>
<br/>
Hisagi shifts uncomfortably. He knows his request will be irregular.<br/>
<br/>
“I wanted to review Cap… Tōsen Kaname’s records,” the lieutenant formally requests.<br/>
<br/>
“<em>Oh</em>,” Ukitake replies softly, eyes wide with surprise. “Well… I can certainly help you with that. We will find them in my office if you’ll just follow me. Sentarō?”<br/>
<br/>
Sentarō dutifully grasps the wheelchair and steers his captain along, casting Hisagi a confused look. The lieutenant feels embarrassed for having even asked.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
“Let’s see, here,” Ukitake says as he sorts through the collected scrolls on his desk. Hisagi stands before him, hands behind his back, listening intently.<br/>
<br/>
“Here we are: Tōsen Kaname, the 17th captain to serve as head of Ninth Division,” Ukitake begins, reading off the parchment. “Born in the 42nd District of the Rukongai, enrolled in Shin’ō Academy in the year 847, graduated with distinction within four years. Owner of the Zanpakutō Suzumushi. Assumed command of Ninth Division in 897 until his defection in the year 997 – a tenure of exactly one century. Slain during the battle now known as the White Invasion…”<br/>
<br/>
Ukitake sets the parchment down and looks up at Hisagi, sensing his disappointment. “You seem unsatisfied?”<br/>
<br/>
“It’s just… the record doesn’t really speak much to <em>who</em> Tōsen was, Captain Ukitake,” Hisagi admits.<br/>
<br/>
The 13th Division captain leans back in his chair, nodding empathetically.<br/>
<br/>
“Tōsen was a secretive man – for reasons that have since become distressingly clear,” Ukitake muses. “I know it must be difficult to witness your own teacher go astray. However: no matter the path Tōsen chose for himself, it does not invalidate the fine man he trained you to be.”<br/>
<br/>
Hisagi is visibly emotional, his jaw set tight. He nods. “Thank you, captain.”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<b>MEGUMURENRI: THE KUCHIKI MANOR - LATER THAT MORNING</b>
</p><p>Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the Sixth Division unhurriedly strides up the courtyard of his ancestral home: <strong>Megumurenri</strong>, his family manor. A large <em>hirayamjiro</em> castle in a lowland slope of the Seireitei, the keep is 10 stories tall with a gold facing and pearl white roofing. The courtyard is teeming with cherry blossom trees, the petals falling past Byakuya in swirling arcs.<br/>
<br/>
Two masked attendants stand before the castle entrance to receive the captain. They bow and simultaneously intone “Captain Kuchiki – welcome.”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Byakuya kneels on the wood-panel floor, bowing before his grandfather: Ginrei, the Kuchiki Tenrai-chō (“Supreme Chieftain”). The wizened patriarch shows his age in each deep wrinkle lining his face, the pronounced cataracts filming his gray eyes, and the snowy bushiness of the mustache obscuring his upper lip.<br/>
<br/>
“Grandfather,” Byakuya utters with deeply-felt respect. “Thank you for seeing me.”<br/>
<br/>
“Come now, Byakuya,” Ginrei reproaches with his raspy patter, carefully pouring a cup of tea with his quivering hands. “I am always gratified by your visits. Now, what business do you have with this old man?”<br/>
<br/>
Byakuya’s hooded eyes gaze at his grandfather levelly.<br/>
<br/>
“I have come to request that you legitimize Rukia as my heir.”<br/>
<br/>
A splash of tea splatters onto the floor as Ginrei’s grip swerves. Embarrassed, the Tenrai-chō sets down the pot and reflects for a long beat.<br/>
<br/>
“Such a request is premature, is it not?” Ginrei asks. “If you wish her to succeed you, that is something you can arrange when you yourself have become Tenrai-chō.”<br/>
<br/>
“I am a captain of the Gotei 13,” Byakuya counters. “My life may be struck down at any time. I am asking you to grant me the peace of mind knowing that, should I die on the battlefield, she will assume her rightful place as my successor.’<br/>
<br/>
“Rightful?” Ginrei repeats back, a bit perturbed. “She is not from our blood, Byakuya.”<br/>
<br/>
“She is the last remaining relative I shall have,” Byakuya pushes back with a respectful tone.<br/>
<br/>
“You could still have children –“<br/>
<br/>
“No, I cannot,” Byakuya concludes. “My wife is dead.”<br/>
<br/>
Ginrei sighs, lifting up his teacup to take a long sip. They have gone back and forth over this disagreement repeatedly since Hisana’s passing, and Byakuya has never softened on the matter.<br/>
<br/>
“You are too young to bear the weight of a widower for the rest of your life,” the Tenrai-chō laments.<br/>
<br/>
Byakuya’s hands imperceptibly clench. He knows he is asking a great deal from his grandfather: to recognize an adopted Rukongai refugee as a potential leader of one of the four most ancient bloodlines in all of Soul Society. It wasn’t meant to be this way: Byakuya’s father, Sōjun Kuchiki, had been groomed since a young age to succeed Ginrei’s own father as Tenrai-chō. However, Sōjun insisted on serving under Ginrei’s command in the Gotei despite his fragile health, and he was killed in battle against a Hollow horde 90 years ago. Ginrei had never intended to become the leader of the Kuchiki clan, but he had no choice but to assume the seat after his both his son and father’s passing.<br/>
<br/>
<em>We FLASHBACK to 89 years prior, when Ginrei officially renounced his position in the Gotei 13 so he could assume his role as Tenrai-chō of the Kuchiki House.<br/>
<br/>
Ginrei kneels before Captain-Commander Shigekuni Yamamoto in the First Division courtyard. Byakuya – still a teenager in Shinigami years – watches from the crowd of gathered witnesses. The rest of the Gotei 13 line behind Ginrei, all of them silent in reverence.<br/>
<br/>
“Kuchiki Ginrei,” Yamamoto drawls. “You are hereby honorably discharged from your service to the Gotei 13. Are you ready to part with your Zanpakutō?”<br/>
<br/>
Byakuya braces himself, nervous for what comes next. He knows that his grandfather must relinquish his weapon if he is to assume the role of Tenrai-chō – the four Shisonka (“Supreme Houses”) have a pact that the heads of their families must not possess a Zanpakutō. However, the sword is not just retired for these occasions; it must be destroyed.<br/>
<br/>
Ginrei nods, drawing forth his blade: </em><b><em>Namidarakka</em></b><em> (“Tears of Fallen Flowers”). He wistfully runs his fingers along the ridge line of the katana, then gives the Captain-Commander a nod.<br/>
<br/>
Yamamoto unsheathes Ryūjin Jakka and plunges it into a brazier beside him. The flames of his Shikai ignite within, creating a torch of smoldering Reiatsu. So begins the ritual of Ling Lí (“Soul Separation”). Yama steps back, giving Ginrei space both physically and emotionally.<br/>
<br/>
Ginrei’s hand quivers as he steps forth to the smoldering flame. He closes his eyes, summons his composure, and plunges Namidarakka into the brazier, holding it in by the hilt. The katana glows molten amidst the concentrated heat, gradually melting. A screeching hiss emanates from the brazier, echoing across the courtyard. Captains Kyōraku Shunsui and Jūshirō Ukitake watch solemnly side by side. Captain Kaname Tōsen flinches, hanging his head as the sound radiates through his ears. Meanwhile, Captain Sōsuke Aizen looks on with an expression of profound sorrow.<br/>
<br/>
Young Byakuya gasps in horror. As a Kuchiki, he can hear the screams emitting from Namidarakka as it is slowly cooked alive. Tears stream down Ginrei’s ashen eyes as he resolutely keeps his sword in the flame. The katana comes undone, oozing into the brazier a shapeless viscera. Byakuya silently sobs, listening as the Zanpakutō’s screams subside. The sound of its cries continue to haunt him to this day.</em><br/>
<br/>
We return to the present moment. Byakuya studies his grandfather’s face, patiently waiting on his next word. There is a long pause.<br/>
<br/>
“I will consider it,” Ginrei concludes.<br/>
<br/>
Byakuya nods. “Thank you, grandfather.”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>KARAKURA TOWN - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</b><br/>
<br/>
The rev of the lawnmower buzzes as Ichigo paces around Mr. Yashamita’s lawn, unenthusiastically mowing the grass. His face is sunken, shoulders sloped. An inaudible voice call out to him. He lets the mower go slack and turns around.<br/>
<br/>
“Yo,” Yasutora Sado says in his low drawl, giving a wave.<br/>
<br/>
“Chad?” Ichigo says with surprise. “How’d you know I was here?”<br/>
<br/>
“I called Ms. Unagiya,” Chad answers. “She’s… a spirited lady.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, that’s one way of putting it,” Ichigo grouses, wiping the sweat from his brow. “What’s up?”<br/>
<br/>
“I wanted to catch up… after you’re finished,” Chad says, gesturing to the lawnmower.<br/>
<br/>
“Let’s catch up right now,” Ichigo says, eager to ditch. “I’ll come back and finish later.”<br/>
<br/>
The two friends stride off, leaving the lawnmower and the wildly uneven lawn in their wake.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>WAKAZA STORE</b><br/>
<br/>
Chad and Ichigo are playing their favorite <b>Invaders Must Die</b> arcade game at the Wakaza convenience store. They jerk the joysticks back and forth, spamming the buttons as the screen flashes with strobe light. Ichigo’s brow is furrowed in concentration – Chad is half-distracted as he keeps casting scrutinizing looks at his friend.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo’s avatar spaceship fires the winning shot at the invading mothership, prompting the pixels to scatter. The screen blares STRAWBERRY WINS, listing a new high score for Ichigo’s username.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo thrusts both of his arms up in victory, his face beaming. It’s the happiest he’s looked in a while. Chad softly smiles.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
The two friends walk out of the store, hands in their pockets.<br/>
<br/>
“Chad, tell me something,” Ichigo asks, casting his towering buddy an annoyed look. “Why did you just let me win?”<br/>
<br/>
Chad’s eyebrows raise. “I guess I noticed that you could use a win,” he admits.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo frowns. <em>What’s with the pity party everybody’s throwing me lately</em>? he wonders. “Well I don’t,” he says tersely. “I’ve been fine.”<br/>
<br/>
“Look, I didn’t reach out to you out of sympathy,” Chad replies, raising his hands in contrition. “I just know I haven’t been there for you the way I should be.”<br/>
<br/>
“About that: what have you been you been up to?” Ichigo asks suspiciously.<br/>
<br/>
Chad is silent for a beat.<br/>
<br/>
“I’ve been running with a club,” he comes clean. “A group called XCution. They’re very secretive… and they’re interested in meeting you.”<br/>
<br/>
“XCution?” Ichigo repeats, finding the name ominous-sounding. “Who are they?”<br/>
<br/>
“… I can show you,” Chad answers. “But you need to trust me, Ichigo.”<br/>
<br/>
The two friends stare at each other searchingly. Ichigo doesn’t know what to think: a couple of months ago, the concept of trusting Chad wouldn’t have even been a question. But now he has an uneasy feeling about it.<br/>
<br/>
“Of course I trust you,” the strawberry swears.<br/>
<br/>
A white van startlingly rears up before them, screeching on the street. Ichigo’s eyes widen with surprise when he sees Tatsuki Arisawa in the driver’s seat, not looking the least bit happy to see him.<br/>
<br/>
“Get in,” she orders tersely.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
There is an awkward silence shared between Ichigo and Tatsuki in the front compartment of the van, Chad comically sandwiched between them.<br/>
<br/>
“So… where are we going?” Ichigo asks, eyeing Tatsuki suspiciously. She gives him the silent treatment, keeping her eyes fixed on the road.<br/>
<br/>
“To XCution headquarters,” Chad answers. “It’s… well, you’ll see.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo watches suspiciously as Tatsuki turns into an alleyway, putting the car in park. “We should be secure here,” she announces.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo looks around, baffled. It’s just an empty alleyway. “<em>This</em> is the hideout?”<br/>
<br/>
“No,” Tatsuki replies. “It’s in the trunk.”<br/>
<br/>
Chad pulls open the doors to the back of the van, revealing an intricate dollhouse bolted to the trunk space. Sleek and painted black, it looks like a miniaturized VIP lounge in a nightclub.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay, whatever prank this is, it’s more weird than funny,” Ichigo complains, blankly regarding the mockup.<br/>
<br/>
“Chad, we can still turn back,” Tatsuki warns. “We don’t need to bring Ichigo into this – he can just walk away.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo stares at his childhood best friend incredulously, insulted that she’d speak as though he weren’t even present. Chad, meanwhile, gives her a rueful look. They stare each other down for a beat. Eventually, Tatsuki gives a relenting nod.<br/>
<br/>
“<em>Alright</em>,” she grumbles, holding out her hands. Chad clasps her right while Ichigo stares awkwardly at her left. He looks up to see Chad and Tatsuki staring at him expectantly, and begrudgingly clasps Tatsuki’s palm.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m feeling frisky for a whiskey!” Tatsuki chants, as if uttering a password.<br/>
<br/>
“What are you talk–“ Ichigo asks before he feels his entire body contort. The trio all stretch and transform into pure energy, shooting down into the diorama.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo gasps for breath, feeling like he’s just been thrown into a laundromat spin cycle. He looks around in a cold sweat, stunned to see the sleek leather furniture of the dollhouse laid out around him in life-sized scale. <em>Were we… were we just sucked inside that miniature</em>? he wonders.<br/>
<br/>
“Ah, Ichigo!” Jackie Tristan calls out. “Welcome to our XCution!”<br/>
<br/>
She is seated on a leather stool, leaning back against the chic bar counter. Giriko Kutsuzawa is standing behind the bar, polishing a highball glass and sizing Ichigo up with his one eye.<br/>
<br/>
“W-what… where are we?” Ichigo stammers, looking around in daze. He is flanked by Chad and Tatsuki, both of them at ease despite the trippy warp they underwent.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, discombobulation is just part of the experience, darling,” Jackie says in a reassuring purr. “Savor the feeling – it eventually wears off. Oh how I wish I could get it back.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo stumbles forward, unnerved. His eyes dart around, struggling to take stock of his surroundings.<br/>
<br/>
“Guys, where’d you bring me?” he asks, horrified.<br/>
<br/>
“They’ve brought you to XCution headquarters – just as they promised,” a booming, rugged voice calls out from the corner. Ichigo’s eyes fix on Kūgō Ginjō, sitting relaxedly on a leather sofa. “Please,” Ginjō continues, gesturing to the armchairs before him. “Have a seat.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo stumbles over, helped along by Chad. He plunks down in a deep armchair, feeling himself sink into the leather.<br/>
<br/>
“Pardon the theatrics,” Ginjō apologizes, gesturing to the entire lounge. “We’re a crew with a lot of enemies, and we prefer to keep our hideout mobile.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo is wide-eyed and dazed, struggling to get his bearings. Chad gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before taking a seat next to him. Riruka Dokugamine is seated next to Ginjō, deep in focus as she delicately applies adjustments to a pink diorama with a pair of tweezers.<br/>
<br/>
“Relax,” Ginjō says, studying Ichigo’s frazzled expression. “I’m sure you’ve seen far stranger things than a crew of Fullbringers.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo stares back at Ginjō, feeling an extra layer of confusion hitting him. <em>That face</em>, he thinks. <em>I recognize him from… somewhere. </em>After a beat, Ichigo finally summons his faculties to respond. “Fullbringers?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah: allow me to introduce you to the crew,” Ginjō continues, leaning forward. “My name’s Ginjō Kūgo. She’s Dogamine Riruka. The lovely creature sitting over there is Jackie Tristan, and the gentleman tending bar is Kutzusawa Giriko. But you’re probably less interested in who we are than knowing <em>what </em>we are, am I right?”<br/>
<br/>
Ginjō angular brows gesture to an iced glass of bourbon on the table before him. He presses his fingers to the tumbler, a green glow coalescing around the alcohol. The ice clinks together. Ichigo watches in astonishment as the viscous liquid rises up and swirls into Ginjō’s parted mouth. He slurps it back with a smack of his lips.<br/>
<br/>
“You didn’t know humans could do that, did you?” Ginjō grins.<br/>
<br/>
“You’re… humans?” Ichigo asks incredulously.<br/>
<br/>
“Well, we’re not typical humans, are we?” Ginjō concedes, casting Chad and Tatsuki a smirk. “I’m about to lay a lot on you, so prick up your ears and pay close attention. Unlike Shinigami, we Fullbringers aren’t born – we’re made. When a human survives a bite or scratch from a Hollow, they gain the gift.”<br/>
<br/>
<em>We briefly glance the moments when a bleeding Tatsuki was thrown against the wall by Acidwire, then the time when Chad tangled with Shrieker</em>.<br/>
<br/>
“If they can withstand the infection of Hollow corruption within their bloodstream, they gain a new, unique kind of spiritual awareness,” Ginjō continues. “Think of it like a flu shot. This level of clairvoyance goes beyond just seeing Hollows or spirits: a Fullbringer can recognize the interplay between Reiatsu and Reishi in our physical world. More importantly, they become attuned to the third, most crucial element: <b>Reikyō</b> (‘Spirit Echo’).”<br/>
<br/>
“Reikyō?” Ichigo repeats back, his brow scrunching with curiosity.<br/>
<br/>
“Now pay close attention: this is the fun part,” Ginjō grins. “You’ve seen the other side of death: you know we’re all just souls reincarnating through an endless cycle of renewal, right? ‘Reikyō’ is the residue that souls accrue after each repeated lifetime. Were you a Shinigami in a past life? Well, that means you got the sense memory of Reiatsu humming along in that soul of yours. Reikyō is what allows us humans to coax out the power of our past incarnations – and use it to manipulate the raw spiritual matter embedded in everything around us.<br/>
<br/>
“A Fullbringer can pull back and snap the spiritual imprint residing in the ground to launch ourselves into the sky, and then cement that some essence in the air to keep us there. Objects have sense memory, too. You ever grasp a door handle and sense the countless hands that touched it beforehand? All of those interactions imbued it with Reikyō that we can exploit. Crucially, there are those objects that we share a special attachment with. The more meaningful, the more potent. In my case, it’s this necklace…”<br/>
<br/>
Ginjō lifts up the Saltire cross affixed to his chain necklace. It glows with a green aura and – <em>whoosh</em> – unfurls into an enormous broadsword, the tip spearing into the ground. Ichigo gazes in awe at the massive blade. Ginjō smirks.<br/>
<br/>
“We call these our <b>totems</b>; they allow us to channel our Reikyō into a focused, powerful weapon that is shaped by the unique personality of our souls. They’re the wick, and our Reikyō is the spark. Together, they light up a Fullbring.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo is no longer dazed – he is at full attention, his hands digging into the plush leather of his seat.<br/>
<br/>
“Are you telling me that Chad and Tatsuki are… like you?”<br/>
<br/>
“It stands to reason,” Ginjō grins, regarding his two latest recruits. “They both had their fair share of run-ins with Hollows. It was probably inevitable, given they grew up so close to the <em>great Kurosaki Ichigo</em>.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo’s eyes narrow. Deep in his gut, he feels some imperceptible aura emanating from Ginjō that feels <em>wrong</em>. There is an awkward silence, eventually broken by Chad.<br/>
<br/>
“All that time I fought alongside you, I didn’t know where the source of my powers came from,” Chad speaks up, his voice sombre as he looks to Ichigo. “I was battling in the dark. It wasn’t until I met Ginjō that I could finally put a name to what I am: a Fullbringer.”<br/>
<br/>
Chad grasps the coin necklaced around his neck – the one given to him by his Abuelo. His thumb traces over it affectionately.<br/>
<br/>
“I suspect Inoue is a Fullbringer, too,” he continues. “Her totem must be her hairpins...”<br/>
<br/>
“Orihime is unique,” Tatsuki counters, drawing looks from Chad and Ichigo. “Her power could be Fullbring, but it might not be. She’s also carrying around a piece of God inside her heart – I wouldn’t lump her in with the rest of us.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo considers Tatsuki’s point for a beat, then returns his focus back to Ginjō.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay, so you’re all Fullbringers. What does this have to do with me?”<br/>
<br/>
“What do you think?” Ginjō replies impatiently. “You’re a Fullbringer, too. Sure as day. Now, we helped your two friends here develop their powers and drive out some questionable characters from Karakura Town. In exchange, they’ve agreed to help us with our business. Something’s come up that could derail the entire operation. Sado suggested bringing you in to assist.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo looks to Chad, feeling both flattered and exploited. <em>Makes sense that this was all Chad’s idea</em>, he thinks. <em>It sure as hell wasn’t Tatsuki’s</em>.<br/>
<br/>
“And why would I help you?” Ichigo asks, eyeing Jackie and Giriko at the bar. Jackie smiles coyly back at him.<br/>
<br/>
“Because we’d help you develop your Fullbring and tap into that ocean of Reikyō you must have swimming beneath the surface,” Ginjō answers. “You built up a lot of power during your tenure as a Substitute Shinigami – there’s a more than good chance your Fullbring will pack a helluva punch. It’d be in our interest to make you as strong as possible. That’d mean you’ll be able to see spirits <em>and</em> slay Hollows again.”<br/>
<br/>
The XCution leader leans forward, digging his broadsword into the floor as his eyes shine with seduction.<br/>
<br/>
“You’d have your life back.”<br/>
<br/>
All eyes are on Ichigo as he stares Ginjō down with an inscrutable expression. There is a long, pregnant silence.<br/>
<br/>
“No,” the strawberry says.<br/>
<br/>
Chad gasps. Both Giriko and Jackie’s eyebrows rise. Tatsuki is the only one whose expression doesn’t change: she continues to look at Ichigo coldly. Riruka looks up from pruning her latest dollhouse, casting Ichigo an incredulous scowl.<br/>
<br/>
“Did you not hear a word he said?” she asks.<br/>
<br/>
“I heard him fine,” Ichigo replies, not taking his eyes off from Ginjō. “My answer is <b>no</b>. Karakura Town doesn’t need me anymore – Ishida can take care of Hollows. Besides, I already did my part. I don’t need my old life back. I’ve got a new one.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, do you?” Riruka sneers back, setting her tweezers down. “Sleepwalking your way through failing out of high school, wasting your time on odd jobs, and being an all-around depressing stick in the mud? Is that the life you’re looking forward to?”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo glares at Chad and Tatsuki. “Seems like you’ve been telling your new friends what you really think of me,” he grits.<br/>
<br/>
“Ichigo –“ Chad begins, reaching out to grasp his friend by the shoulder. The strawberry rises up from his seat, rejecting the gesture.<br/>
<br/>
“There’s one more reason why my answer is no: I don’t trust <em>you</em>,” Ichigo adds, directly addressing Ginjō. “I can’t explain it, but there’s something off about your vibe. It doesn’t sit right with me. I might not have my spiritual awareness anymore, but I still listen to my intuition.”<br/>
<br/>
Ginjō leans back into the couch, his expression unfazed.<br/>
<br/>
“Well that’s a shame,” the XCution leader concludes. “But no hard feelings. If you ever change your mind, the offer still stands.”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Tatsuki drives the van up to the Kurosaki Clinic and puts it in park. She remains silent, refusing to acknowledge Ichigo as he exits out of the passenger side.<br/>
<br/>
“Ichigo, wait,” Chad says, following him out onto the street. “I can explain.”<br/>
<br/>
“Explain what?” Ichigo retorts, hands dug into his pockets. “That you’ve been hiding your cabal membership from me? That you ignored me until your new boss needed something?”<br/>
<br/>
“I did this for you, Ichigo,” Chad pushes back. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before – we were sworn to secrecy – but I wanted to bring you in so you could have a fresh start.”<br/>
<br/>
“What makes you think I need a fresh start, Chad?” Ichigo protests, stepping forward. His chest is nearly touching Chad’s as he glares up at the gentle giant.<br/>
<br/>
“Ichigo…” Chad says softly. “You haven’t been yourself ever since you lost your Shinigami powers – when you lost your ability to protect others. Don’t think I can’t see how you’ve changed. You used to act detached from others because you thought it’d make you seem cool…”<br/>
<br/>
“I <em>am </em>cool,” Ichigo interjects.<br/>
<br/>
“… But now you actually are detached from everyone,” Chad finishes. “Because you’re lost.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo falls silent, scrutinizing his friend for a long beat. Tatsuki somberly watches both of them, her eyes following Ichigo as he wordlessly turns away from Chad and trudges up to his home.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/>
THE FIFTH DIVISION BARRACKS</b><br/>
<br/>
Shinji Hirako deals the final card, eliciting groans from Ninth Division Captain Kensei Mugurama and Third Division Captain Love Aikawa. He’s just won Koi Koi three times in a row.<br/>
<br/>
“Drink,” the Fifth Division Captain commands his peers. Love and Kensei lift up their mugs, clink, chant “To Hachigen!” and throw back several shots worth of sake. They pound their cups onto the table, both gasping from the burn in their throats. Soul Society sake is depressingly diluted compared to the good shit they could buy from any corner-store in Karakura Town; they’ve compensated by chugging half a pint at a time. Love grasps the bottle to pour another round, but shakes out nothing.<br/>
<br/>
“Huh… all out,” Love putters. “Tank’s outta gas.”<br/>
<br/>
“Somebody oughta - <em>beeeeelch -</em> grab another bottle,” Kensei says between burps, casting Lieutenant Hiyori Sarugaki and Third Seat Lisa Yadōmaru of the Fifth Division an expectant glare. Hiyori and Lisa, both of them lounging drunk around Shinji’s quarters, simultaneously frown.<br/>
<br/>
“Why is it our job to get the sake?” Hiyori barks back, her body splayed out on the floor beside the shōji.<br/>
<br/>
“Chain of command!” Kensei irritably retorts, pounding the table. “Besides, you guys drank most of the last seven!”<br/>
<br/>
“Fine!” Hiyori grumbles, turning an inch to slide open the door. Lieutenant Kira Izuru of the Third Division is standing dutifully out in the hallway. “Hey, you!” Hiyori shouts. “Another bottle of sake!’<br/>
<br/>
“Get two!” Love adds, holding up deuce fingers. “We’re in for the long haul tonight.”<br/>
<br/>
Kensei blushes with indignation, then stomps off without a word of protestation. Hiyori watches him totter away, then slams the door back shut. “Little bitch,” she hiccups.<br/>
<br/>
Kira hurries down the staircase of the barracks, heading over to the rations cellar. He turns a corner and nearly runs smack into Hisagi.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, Izuru!” Hisagi says, startled. He is clearly agitated, something weighing heavily on him.<br/>
<br/>
“Do you want to tag in?” Kira breathlessly asks, completely flustered. “I can’t take this anymore. Captain Aikawa and the rest of these Visoreds – they’re completely undignified. And disrespectful!”<br/>
<br/>
“Um, well, I came here to speak to Captain Mugurama,” Hisagi admits. “I... may be kicked out of the Gotei if it goes poorly, so I don’t know if I’ll be sticking around.”<br/>
<br/>
Kira studies his old drinking buddy’s anxious expression for a beat, then puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m fetching some sake for them – I’ll smuggle a bottle for the both of us while I’m at it, and we can commiserate later tonight.”<br/>
<br/>
Hisagi smiles and nods. “Sounds good.”<br/>
<br/>
“But I’m serious: these ‘Visoreds’ are a hooligan bunch,” Kira adds in a whisper. “I don’t know if you’re catching them in the best mood, or their very worst.”<br/>
<br/>
The two friends part ways, Hisagi heading up the stairs while Kira continues on down. Hisagi reaches Captain Shinji’s quarters, hearing hysterical laughter within. After a deep breath, he slides open the shōji. All of the Visoreds halt their cackling like a record scratch, staring at Hisagi for an awkward beat.<br/>
<br/>
“We told Kira we wanted <em>Sake</em>, not <em>Hisagi</em>!” Lisa roars in a mock guttural drawl, slamming her sheathed Zanpakutō onto the floor with a thunk. The entire crew bursts into uproarious laughter again. Hisagi blushes crimson.<br/>
<br/>
“Shūhei, settle this debate for us!” Captain Kensei calls out between fits of giggling. He dramatically lifts the hem of his captain’s robes with his thumbs. “What do you think of our haori?”<br/>
<br/>
“W-what?” Hisagi stammers. “Um… I think they’re fine.”<br/>
<br/>
“Ex-a-actly!” Love slurs. “They’re just fine, but they ain’t fashionable! You can’t accessorize your way out of a smock! We’re thinking of petitioning Genryūsai to let us wear pants.”<br/>
<br/>
“Pants?” Hisagi repeats back, confused. “But… why would that be preferable?”<br/>
<br/>
“You haven’t seen my ass in jeans,” Lisa answers, prompting even more uproarious laughter from the group.<br/>
<br/>
“I… I’ll come back later,” Hisagi sputters, readying to hop out of the room.<br/>
<br/>
“No, stay!” Kensei roars. “I order you! <em>Pfffffft hahahahahaha</em>!”<br/>
<br/>
The group exhausts their laughing fit, their chuckles subsiding as they each notice the terrified look on Hisagi’s face. Shinji shifts up, putting his elbows on the table and craning his chin against his hands.<br/>
<br/>
“Kensei has gotta train a sense of humor into you,” the Fifth Division Captain declares.<br/>
<br/>
“I… I have a sense of humor!” Hisagi protests.<br/>
<br/>
There is a long, awkward silence – followed by the Visoreds all exploding with laughter once again. Hisagi stands blushing amidst the howling until he summons the courage to drop down to his knees, bowing before his superior.<br/>
<br/>
“Captain Mugurama!” Hisagi cries out. “Forgive me for my insolence, but I’ve come to ask for your blessing!”<br/>
<br/>
The Visoreds fall into hushed silence, recognizing for the first time that Hisagi is dead serious. Kensei wrinkles his nose, mildly annoyed that his lieutenant is killing the vibe.<br/>
<br/>
“Blessing for what?”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>KARAKURA TOWN - THE NEXT DAY</b><br/>
<br/>
Uryū Ishida is walking with purpose down the street. The biker in white leather and obscuring helmet has been tailing him – a nuisance he is eager to lose. The Quincy darts into an alleyway – hearing the ominous hum of a motorcycle in the distance – and uses his Hirenyaku to leap up onto the rooftop above. Scanning the street below, he waits for a beat until he spies the motorcyclist riding down the street, turning a corner, and disappearing.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Finally</em>, Uryū thinks. He turns and dashes across the rooftops, heading towards the new hideout of the Bōnhōku. Word on the street has been that the gang got the shit kicked out of them at some bar two nights prior. The trouble is: the bar that the alleged beatdown took place doesn’t seem to exist, and the thuggish crew is recuperating to plot their revenge. Uryū has been cultivating sources around Karakura Town; his latest tipoff was that the Bōnhōku are congregating at a new hideout.<br/>
<br/>
Uryū dashes across several blocks until he arrives at the Bōnhōku’s new base of operations: the compound that the Visoreds had shacked up in for decades. Vacated and no longer shielded by Kidō to ward off suspicion, it’s become an obvious choice for vagrants to shack up in. Uryū touches down onto the rooftop and draws forth his Scheeler Schneider. He digs the Reishi blade into the siding, cutting a discrete hole. Prying off the serrated tile, he silently drops down into the rafters of the warehouse. The Quincy kneels down, adjusts his glasses, and observes the scene occurring below.<br/>
<br/>
Moe Shigshigawara is strapped into a chair on a stage, duct tape strapped along his limbs and wrapped tight around his mouth. The punk writhes around, struggling to protest from his binds. The entirety of the Bōnhōku are gathered before him, most of them looking ready to swing a pipe at his head. Abanji Hotoro strides up to the captive and rips the strap of tape from his mouth.<br/>
<br/>
“You promised us a ringer!” Hotoro bellows. “Well… where is he?”<br/>
<br/>
“He’s fashionably late!” Shishigawara nervously suggests, gasping for breath. “I’m telling you, he’ll show up!”<br/>
<br/>
Hotoro is unmoved. The Bōnhōku leader gestures to a subordinate to douse Shishi in gasoline – they comply with prejudice. Moe gasps as the flammable liquid splashes on him – “Stop!’ he begs – his eyes widening as Hotoro takes out a zippo and flicks it alight.<br/>
<br/>
“On the count of three, two –!“ the gang leader cries out out.<br/>
<br/>
“Now don’t go setting Shishi on fire,” a cool, almost tranquil voice calls out. “He’s a happy warrior.”<br/>
<br/>
The entirety of the Bōnhōku crane and see the lithe, tall young man in suspenders leaning against the other end of the stage. The interloper has a lustrous mane of dark hair and a scar etched into his brow. He sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the group of punks with his good looks, regal style, and the earmarked book he has on hand. His name is Shūkūro Tsukishima.<br/>
<br/>
“Who the hell are you?” Hotoro bellows, holding his lit zippo close to the wriggling Shishigawara.<br/>
<br/>
“Is that really how you’d greet your boss?” Tsukishima replies, sliding a bookmark out from his paperback. There is a flare of green aura and suddenly Tsukishima is grasping a katana. Before anyone can protest, he closes the distance between him and Hotor and slashes his blade along the gang leader’s chest. The attendees gasp in unison, expecting their chief to have just been bisected. Instead, Hotoro is unscathed: he shakes his head as if awaking from a dream, blinking with recognition at Tsukishima.<br/>
<br/>
“Tsukishima-sama!” Hotoro says with relief. “You’re back!”<br/>
<br/>
The crowd erupts into disarray, teeming with chattering and speculation. Hotoro grasps Tsukishima by the wrist and raises it high.<br/>
<br/>
“Settle down!” Hotoro commands his horde. “Show some respect to the man who taught me everything I know! Brothers – I’d like to introduce you to Tsukishima Shūkūro: founder of the Bōnhōku!”<br/>
<br/>
Nervous murmurs spread throughout the crowd. Hotoro asserts a severe look, prompting the rank and file to stop questioning and start applauding their newly revealed leader.<br/>
<br/>
Uryū frowns from his perch. <em>What the hell is going on?</em> he wonders. The gangsters all don’t seem to question the appointment, clapping along to Hotoro’s word.<br/>
<br/>
“What did I tell you all!” Moe grins triumphantly from his binds, dripping with gasoline. “Tsukishima-sama’s the biggest badass around!”<br/>
<br/>
“Now Hotoro, is this any way to treat Shishi?” Tsukishima asks, gesturing to the bound grunt.<br/>
<br/>
“Shishigawara – forgive me!” Hotoro pleads, falling to his knees and bowing before Moe. “I don’t know what came over me!”<br/>
<br/>
“I think a demotion would be a suitable punishment for you,” Tsukishima muses. “From now on, you answer to Shishi. Now clean him up.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yes sir!” Hotoro nods, taking off his own prized jacket to wipe the gasoline off of Moe’s soaked face. “Bōnhōku! From now on we all answer to Shishigawara! Consider him the eyes and ears of Tsukishima.”<br/>
<br/>
The small army of gangsters stare on, stupefied by the sight of their former leader demeaning himself like this. Murmurs abound that if Hotoro is being this submissive, then Tsukishima really must be “the biggest badass around.”<br/>
<br/>
Tsukishima’s phone starts ringing – Uryū recognizes the customized tone as the crescendo of “Winter” from Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Symphony. Tsukishima fishes his phone from his pocket and answers without taking his eyes off from the gathered Bōnhōku.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m in the middle of something,” the mysterious young man tells the caller. “… I see. I’ll meet you in 15 minutes.”<br/>
<br/>
Tsukishima flips the phone shut, hops offstage, and strides past the army of Bōnhōku, cradling his katana against his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m off” the newly anointed Bōnhōku ringleader announces. “Now, by the time I get back, I want this warehouse to be spotless. It’s absolutely filthy and I do not tolerate mess. Now get to work. And Hotoro – you use your tongue to mop up that stage.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yes, sir!” Hotoro replies with a salute.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Uryū discretely hops from rooftop to rooftop, watching Tsukishima walk along the streets below. <em>He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry</em>, Uryū observes. <em>What technique did he use back there? Some kind of mind control</em>?<br/>
<br/>
Tsukishima turns a corner into an alleyway, coming to a halt before a fire escape. Whoever he is meeting with is obscured by the grated platforms.<br/>
<br/>
“The Bōnhōku are now under my thumb,” a pleased Tsukishima tells the conspirator. “I take it that your venture was less successful?”<br/>
<br/>
<em>I need to see whoever he’s talking to</em>, Uryū thinks. He inches closer of the edge of the rooftop, realizing too late that he is eclipsing the sun’s rays over the alleyway. Tsukishima detects the subtle shift in shade and darts his eyes directly up at Uryū. There is a concentric pulse of green energy beneath the young man’s feat, launching him up to the rooftop with his sword drawn. He swings at Uryū, who narrowly dodges by leaping to the side. The Quincy draws his bow, aiming a Heilig Bowen directly at Tsukishima.<br/>
<br/>
“Who are you?” Uryū questions. “State your business in Karakura Town!”<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t you know it’s rude for a snoop to ask questions?” Tsukishima replies with a smirk.<br/>
<br/>
Uryū detects another assailant bounding up behind him. He turns to fire his bow, only for the attacker to swiftly cleave a blade along his shoulder blades. Gasping, Uryū spins around and falls over the edge, crashing into the alleyway below. He hits the ground and all goes black.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/>
THE FIRST DIVISION BARRACKS</b><br/>
<br/>
“An investigation?” Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto repeats back with surprise.<br/>
<br/>
Shūhei Hisagi kneels before him, flanked by Ukitake and Kensei. The lieutenant looks up to meet the Captain-Commander’s stare.<br/>
<br/>
“I humbly request permission to conduct a journalistic investigation into Tōsen Kaname so that Soul Society records may have a thorough account of his life,” Hisagi elaborates. “I swear it will not interfere with my duties as second seat of the Ninth Division.”<br/>
<br/>
Yamamoto wrinkles his bushy brow, scrutinizing Hisagi for a beat. “Captain Ukitake, do you endorse this idea?”<br/>
<br/>
“I do, Captain-Commander,” Ukitake answers. “Hisagi was taught the rigor of investigation and record-keeping when he clerked at the Great Spirits Library. What’s more, I believe that retracing the steps that lead Tōsen into conspiracy with Aizen would be prudent. It is important for us to understand how Aizen was able to recruit Shinigami to his cause if we wish to detect and thwart traitors in our midst going forward.”<br/>
<br/>
Genryūsai digests the argument for a beat, then shifts his attention to Kensei. “Captain Mugurama: do you approve, as well?”<br/>
<br/>
Hisagi nervously looks to his captain. Kensei is frowning, hesitating to answer for an agonizingly drawn-out beat.<br/>
<br/>
“… Yeah, sure,” Kensei says irritably. “What matters to me is that those serving under my command perform to the best of their ability. Shūhei hasn’t been able to get his head out of the clouds ever since I reassumed command of the Ninth Division. He’s depressing to have around, honestly. If sorting out his baggage with Tōsen gets him out of his funk, then I guess I’m fine with it.”<br/>
<br/>
Hisagi blushes. It wasn’t quite the answer he was hoping for, but he’ll take it.<br/>
<br/>
“Very well, then,” Yamamoto concludes. “I will grant you the autonomy to carry out your ‘journalistic’ investigation, Hisagi Shūhei. On one condition: that you document every step of your inquiry and share it with Captain Ukitake, who will report to me. If I learn that you have strayed from the parameters of your investigation, it will be shut down. If you take advantage of the discretion afforded you, then you will be disciplined. Is that understood?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yes — thank you, Captain-Commander!” Hisagi nods, eyes wide with relief.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>THE WORLD OF THE LIVING - LATER THAT DAY<br/>
KARAKURA HOSPITAL</b><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo dashes down the hallway, his sneakers screeching as he rounds a corner and sprints to room 302. He bursts in and finds Chad sitting in a chair beside Uryū’s hospital bed.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, Ichigo,” Chad mumbles awkwardly. “He’s… well, he’s not really in a mood to talk.”<br/>
<br/>
“You called Kurosaki?” Uryū irritably asks Chad.<br/>
<br/>
“No, I called him,” Dr. Ryūken Ishida answers, strolling into the room. “I thought the sight of your friends would make you less of an insufferable moper.”<br/>
<br/>
“I seem to recall you forbidding me from fraternizing with Shinigami,” Uryū retorts, the medication making his speech slow and slurred.<br/>
<br/>
“Well, seeing that Kurosaki Ichigo is no longer a Shinigami, I don’t see the harm,” Ryūken notes.<br/>
<br/>
“Uryū, what the hell happened?” Ichigo asks worriedly. “I heard you got your ass kicked — is there a Hollow on the loose?”<br/>
<br/>
“Go home, Kurosaki,” Uryū answers.”I’m… not in the mood for your hysterics.”<br/>
<br/>
“A novice who gets himself cut down should not speak so pridefully to others,” Ryūken admonishes his son.<br/>
<br/>
“All of you get the hell out!” Uryū barks.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
“I wish Orihime was still around,” Ichigo laments, conferring with Chad and Ryūken in the hallway. “she’d have Uryū up and moving in no time.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yes, he’ll just have to suffer through the finest medical attention we can provide,” Ryūken retorts. “His laceration will heal; it is his pride that may not recover. Do not take his foul mood personally: he’s been obstinate ever since he woke up. I suspect he is just embarrassed from being felled by a human.”<br/>
<br/>
“A human?” Chad repeats, surprised.<br/>
<br/>
“Yes; when I was cleaning his wound, I detected no traces of Reiatsu,” Ryūken elaborates. “There was no Reishi, either – whoever got the drop on him was no spirit. He’s been making a habit of antagonizing the Bōnhōku lately; perhaps they exacted some revenge.”<br/>
<br/>
Chad winces at the suggestion. He was convinced that the brawl at the Shiver Timber had driven the Bōnhōku out for good. It’s upsetting to contemplate that they had stuck around and hurt Uryū.<br/>
<br/>
“We have to do something,” Ichigo says determinedly.<br/>
<br/>
“<em>We</em>?” Ryūken repeats with a withering look. “Last I checked, you are just an ordinary human now, Kurosaki Ichigo. <em>You</em> will do nothing. Your father will raise hell if you run around the streets and get yourself killed. I suggest both of you go home. The best you can do is come visit Uryū when he is in a more amicable mood.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo feels stung by the dress down. He and Chad thank Ryūken and stride off.<br/>
<br/>
“Uryū’s dad is kind of an asshole,” Ichigo mutters under his breath.<br/>
<br/>
“I can see where he gets his coldness from,” Chad muses. He pauses, casting Ichigo an apologetic look. “Ichigo, what I said the other night. It was out of line –“<br/>
<br/>
“We’re good, Chad,” Ichigo interrupts. “You meant well, I get that. See you at school Monday?”<br/>
<br/>
Chad nods.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<b>THE KUROSAKI CLINIC - LATER THAT DAY</b><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo enters his home, only to be greeted with a stomp from his father.<br/>
<br/>
“You fool!” Isshin bellows, digging a foot atop his son’s head and grinding his face into the ground. “Where have you been? You promised to take your sisters to the carnival tonight! What kind of big brother are you?!”<br/>
<br/>
“There – mphffff – was an emergency!” Ichigo muffles into the carpet.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s fine, father,” Yuzu says bashfully from the staircase. “Karin’s refusing to leave our room, anyway.”<br/>
<br/>
“What’s that?!” Isshin replies. “It’s not fine. You are siblings! You’re supposed to do fun things together, so you can remember the importance of family! Karin – get down here!”<br/>
<br/>
Karin stomps down the steps, dressed in a black top and jeans. She frowns at her father and brother.<br/>
<br/>
“Do I really have to go?” she grumbles. “Carnivals are stupid, anyway.”<br/>
<br/>
“No they’re not!” Yuzu protests. “They’re magical and full of stuffed animals and… well, I want to go.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo and Karin both look at their sister, realizing that their lack of enthusiasm has upset her. They both relent, simultaneously announcing “Fine, let’s go!”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<b>THE KARAKURA CARNIVAL – THAT NIGHT</b><br/>
<br/>
Karakura Park has been dressed up with a litany of vendors and rides, lights strewn across the trees. Yuzu looks on with awe while Ichigo competes in a ring toss. He effortlessly slings each circlet, all of the reaching their mark. The vendor looks on, stunned.<br/>
<br/>
<em>I may have lost my powers, but all of the hand-eye coordination and reflexes – those I got to keep, at least</em>, Ichigo thinks as he whirls the final ring. It lands around the neck of the final bottle and rests. The vendor, remarking that he’s never seen a finer performance at the game, tells Ichigo he can have whatever prize he chooses.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo looks down to Yuzu with a smile. “Well, what do you want?”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
The trio of siblings stride through the crowd, Yuzu clinging to an enormous stuffed animal that looks just like Kon’s plushie. She’s thrilled, which makes Ichigo pleased. Karin, meanwhile, can’t help but continue sulking. Ichigo notices the rings under her eyes, wondering if she’s been sleeping okay.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey, sourpuss – what do you want to do?” Ichigo asks his dark-haired sister.<br/>
<br/>
“Go home,” Karin retorts. After Yuzu shoots her an annoyed look, she relents. “Eh… I guess I don’t hate the ferris wheel?”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Ichigo, Karin, Yuzu, and the giant Kon plushie are all crammed together in a compartment while the ferris wheel turns, raising them up to the sky.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Yuzu says.<br/>
<br/>
“What is?” Ichigo asks.<br/>
<br/>
“Home!” Yuzu answers merrily, gesturing to all of Karakura Town. “When we grow up, I hope we all still live here together!”<br/>
<br/>
“Dream big, Yuzu,” Karin grumbles, resting her chin in her hand and surveying the carnival below. Her eyes suddenly widen with alarm – “Everyone hold on!”<br/>
<br/>
There is a loud crash on the fairground, the roof of the merry-go-round crunching as if it were stomped on. Ichigo feels a bolt of fear shoot through him. <em>A Hollow</em>? he thinks. The crowd below begins to scream and disperse as the invisible beast leaps from ride to ride, its claws imprinting on each perch. Suddenly the ferris wheel lurches to the side – the Hollow must have leapt up onto one of the spokes.<br/>
<br/>
<em>We’re trapped</em>, Ichigo thinks in a panic, grabbing onto Yuzu and shielding her. <em>There’s absolutely nothing I can do, and Uryū’s not around to bail us out. I… I can’t protect them!</em><br/>
<br/>
The riders all scream as the ferris wheel bends and teeters, being weighted down around by the advancing Hollow. Ichigo braces himself, wondering if this is the end. “Karin, hold onto me!” he shouts, looking to his sister. Karin doesn’t acknowledge his request; she is gazing determinedly down at the Hollow, as if calculating some decision. “Karin?” Ichigo repeats, confused.<br/>
<br/>
“Sorry, Ichigo,” Karin says, fishing something out of her pocket.<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo gasps when he sees the marble between Karin’s fingers. <em>A Soul Candy? </em>he thinks. Karin pops it into her mouth and goes momentarily limp, then reanimates with a whole new demeanor. She looks around wide-eyed, as if getting her bearings.<br/>
<br/>
“Karin!” Ichigo cries out, leaning forward and grabbing his sister by her shirt. He drags her in close, almost nose-to-nose as he scrutinizes her. “What the hell are you doing?”<br/>
<br/>
“Uh…” Karin stammers, her voice completely different – masculine, even. “What’s up, Ichigo?”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo’s eyes widen as he recognizes that nasal, annoying little voice.<br/>
<br/>
“KON?!” he shouts, shaking Karin back and forth. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN KARIN’S BODY?!”<br/>
<br/>
The ferris wheel slings back upright as percussive shockwaves echo across the carnival. Ichigo looks on and watches as an invisible battle occurs on the fairground. Suddenly, the shockwaves cease and the carnival becomes still.<br/>
<br/>
“Well... she just won,” Kon says through Karin’s lips. “I guess all’s well that ends well, right?”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>THE KUROSAKI CLINIC – LATER</b><br/>
<br/>
Ichigo storms into the house, Karin and Yuzu following after him.<br/>
<br/>
“I said give it back, Ichigo!” Karin yells at her brother, grabbing his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
“If I can't get answer from you, then I'll get them from him!” he snaps back, shrugging her off.<br/>
<br/>
He runs up the stairs into Karin and Yuzu’s room, slamming and locking the door behind him. He kicks open the chest at the foot of Yuzu’s bed to reveal her trove of stuffed animals, fishing out the lion plushie. He opens up his palm – revealing the Soul Candy he had wrested away from Karin — and pops it into the plushie’s mouth. Kon wriggles to life and realizes he’s in Ichigo’s clutches.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh <em>shit</em>,” the mod soul mutters. “Hiya, Ichigoooo! Long time no – gah!”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo shakes the plushie back and forth. “Talk, or I’ll to turn you into a lampshade.”<br/>
<br/>
“Okay, okay!” Kon squeals. “Let up a little bit, would ya? Jeeze, you’ve gotten crankier with age. So what’s the problem?”<br/>
<br/>
“My sister suddenly having Shinigami powers – that’s my problem. It’s gonna be your problem too if you don’t tell me everything you know<em>.</em>”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo sets Kon down onto the bed, the mod soul nervously looking up at him.<br/>
<br/>
“Just promise me you’re not gonna take it out on me, okay?” Kon conditions. “Well, I don’t know all the details about the whole ’slaying Hollows’ deal, but I’ve been tagging in for Karin about 11 months now, okay?”<br/>
<br/>
“11 months?!” Ichigo repeats back, incredulous. “She’s had Shinigami powers for a year?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah,” Kon gulps. “Come to think of it, I guess that means she’s been a Shinigami longer than you ever were… jeeze, that’s kinda humiliat– gah!”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo, seeing red, plucks Kon up by the throat.<br/>
<br/>
“She made me swear not to tell you!” the plushie gasps. “You don’t know how scary she can be!”<br/>
<br/>
“I’m not gonna tear you apart for that,” Ichigo grits. “I’m gonna tear you apart for feeling up my sister for the last 11 months.”<br/>
<br/>
“What?!” Kon squeals. “You got it all wrong! I’ve been a total gentleman, respecting those boundaries left and right! I swear!”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo plunks Kon back down, arching his brow in skepticism. “You expect me to believe that a perv like you didn’t cop a feel? Since when have you ever respected boundaries?”<br/>
<br/>
“When they became <em>my </em>body!” Kon answers indignantly, striking a feminine pose. “You think I’d fiddle around with my own vessel? What are you, sick in the head?”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo crosses his arms, trying to regain his composure. He thinks for a long beat, then gives Kon another glare.<br/>
<br/>
“Who gave her her powers?”<br/>
<br/>
“Uh…” Kon stammers, visibly nervous. “That’s, um… confidential?”<br/>
<br/>
……<br/>
<br/>
Karin waits at the foot of the stairs, angrily watching Ichigo storm down the steps. He passes by her without acknowledgment, heading to leave.<br/>
<br/>
“Where are you going?” she asks.<br/>
<br/>
“Where do you think?” he irately answers, slamming the front door behind him.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<b>URAHARA SHOP - LATER</b><br/>
<br/>
Kisuke Urahara sits cross-legged in his tea room, lighting his pipe. He hears a crash come from the storefront. <em>I wonder what that could be?</em> he wonders as he sucks in a thick plume. Ichigo slides open the shōji with a slam, glaring down at the shopkeeper. Urahara’s lowers his pipe and coughs, tobacco smoke blasting from his mouth.<br/>
<br/>
“Kurosaki – <em>cough</em> – Ichigo, odd time for you to pay a visit,” Urahara says, clearing his throat.<br/>
“What the hell is your game with Karin?” Ichigo grits.<br/>
<br/>
Urahara’s eyes widen. He sets his pipe down on the tray.<br/>
<br/>
“Why don’t you sit down –“<br/>
<br/>
“Explain yourself, Urahara!” Ichigo barks. “She’s my little sister, and you’ve put her in danger!”<br/>
<br/>
“She came to me asking for help,” Urahara replies, tilting up his bucket hat. “It was her decision; all I did was oblige her.”<br/>
<br/>
“It’s never that simple though, is it?” Ichigo says accusingly. “She’s just another chess-piece on your board, right? Doesn’t matter if she gets hurt so long as she’s useful for your long game.”<br/>
<br/>
“Is that how you viewed our relationship?” the shopkeeper asks, his face scrunching with indignation. “You think I never cared what happened to you, Ichigo? Karin can make her own choices; you don’t have to be bitter just because she’s the one protecting you, now.”<br/>
<br/>
Ichigo kicks the tobacco tray aside, stung by the comment. He glowers at his former mentor for a beat.<br/>
<br/>
“Stay away from her,” Ichigo warns. “Stay away from Yuzu, and stay away from <em>me</em>.”<br/>
<br/>
Urahara watches as Ichigo turns and leaves. The shopkeeper’s expression softens – he’s saddened. The adjacent shōji cracks open, Ururu peering in.<br/>
<br/>
“Are you okay, Urahara-san?” she asks.<br/>
<br/>
“No,” Urahara answers. “I don’t suppose I am.”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
Chad hears an urgent knock on his door. He opens it, surprised to see Ichigo coated in sweat, as if he had just run there.<br/>
<br/>
“Ichigo?” Chad says, confused.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m in,” Ichigo says, staring at his friend with determination. “Tell Ginjō that I want in.”</p><p> </p><p>
  
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. THE LOST AGENT: The House of Tsunayashiro</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ichigo plays with dolls, Hisagi gets in deep, and a Tenrai-chō gets high.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p> <iframe></iframe></p><p>"Shūhei, are you ready?" Captain Kaname Tōsen asks.</p><p>Hisagi, a fresh cadet of the Ninth Division, is on the verge of tears. His Zanpakutō rattles in his grip, his hand quivering.</p><p>"No, captain," he answers, infuriated by his own cowardice.</p><p>A fatally maimed Hollow writhes on the ground before them, letting out an unbearable screech of fury and pain.</p><p>"I have already neutralized this Hollow," Tōsen says encouragingly. "It cannot hurt you."</p><p>"I'm not afraid of it attacking me, captain," Hisagi responds. "I… I can't kill it."</p><p>"This wretched creature is in pain, and only a Shinigami's Zanpakutō can grant it peace," Tōsen muses, listening passively to the monster's wailing. "What stays your sword, Shūhei? Why won't you release?"</p><p>Hisagi gazes down pityingly at the Hollow, recognizing both its anguish and how it desperately clings to life. Its frightening mask shields an expressive face, terrified eyes gleaming through the slits.</p><p>"It's afraid of dying," Hisagi answers. "Killing it would… it feels cruel."</p><p>Kaname reflects on this for a beat, then observes "You fear what you will become once you've taken a life?"</p><p>Hisagi breaks, tears streaming past the 69 tattoo etched into his cheek. "Yes. I don't see the nobility in this – I see only death. I'm sorry, Captain Tōsen. I… I'm afraid."</p><p>"Good," Kaname declares, drawing an astonished look from his subordinate. "To not be fearful of the power we exercise when we draw our Zanpakutō is to abuse our strength. When you lose respect for the lines you cross, you become lost. He who fears not the blade he wields has no right to wield that blade."</p><p>Tōsen cocks his head, listening to the last tear streaking down Shūhei's face. He gives a nod. "Do not be ashamed of your fear, Shūhei. Respect it, and you will always know yourself."</p><p>Shūhei nods to his captain with wide-eyed awe, then returns his attention back to the terrified Hollow. He sucks in a deep breath.</p><p>"Reap, Kazeshini."</p><hr/><p><strong>SOUL SOCIETY - THE PRESENT</strong><br/><strong>NINTH DIVISION BARRACKS</strong><br/>Hisagi fits a belt notched with a roll of parchment and a brush around his waist, cinching it tight. The brush is imbued with the Shinigami technology of Hōfushukketsu (Abundant Bleeding): it will produce endless ink without needing replenishment. The lieutenant plucks up a straw hat, snuffs out a candle with a pinch of his fingers, and exits his quarters.</p><p>Captain Kensei awaits him in the hallway, hands on his hips and glaring at him with severity.</p><p>"Oh, hey captain," Hisagi mumbles, feeling like he's been caught playing hooky.</p><p>"I need you back here before nightfall, Shūhei," Kensei says sharply. "We got some weak-kneed cadets who need rustling up and whipping into shape."</p><p>"Nighttime drills?" Hisagi asks, confused. "But… I thought you were already running training trials all day today?"</p><p>"That's right – the real training starts after, when they're exhausted and think they got a bed to look forward to," Kensei nods. "I'll need you here to spar with them. Understood?"</p><p>"Yessir," Hisagi nods, striding off in a hurry. He'll need to make it to the Rukongai in double time if he hopes to make it back before sunset.</p><p>"What's with the hat?" Kensei calls after him.</p><p>Hisagi turns around and places the straw hat over his spiky hair, affecting cool poise. "Gonna go incognito – I don't want anyone in the Rukongai recognizing me."</p><p>Kensei arches a brow in amusement.</p><p>"You don't look malnourished and you're spotlessly clean," the captain observes. "They're gonna know you're from the Seireitei even if you don't have a sword strapped to your hip. But good luck with all that."</p><hr/><p><strong>WEST RUKONGAI – 42nd DISTRICT</strong><br/>Hisagi wades through a bustling crowd in the West 42nd District's market, blushing as the all the passing locals pointedly swerve away from him. His incognito disguise doesn't seem to be working. Walking past a group of street urchins encircling a makeshift fire, he defeatedly tosses his hat in the flames.</p><p>The streets bear the signs of poverty and neglect, with houses missing roofing tile and a casual stench wafting through the markets. It's not nearly as bad as the Rukongai can get, but it's the kind of district that any Soul with prospects aims to graduate from. Hisagi himself grew up in the 16th District, which was close enough to the Seireitei to be routinely patrolled by Shinigami. While many of his peers had viewed them as intrusive law enforcers, he idolized them as a child – especially Kensei Muguruma.</p><p><em>I wonder if Kensei would have rejected me as a cadet</em>, Hisagi reflects. <em>He would have been repulsed by my fear</em>.</p><hr/><p>Hisagi knocks on the door of Tōsen House, a rather renowned shelter for wayward child-aged souls in the the neighborhood. It was where Kaname Tōsen was raised during the beginning of his afterlife. His time there was so impactful that he made it his namesake.</p><p>"Lady Tōsen had known what it was like to be forgotten in the slums of the Rukongai," Kaname told Hisagi years ago. "She took us in, provided safety and warmth, and was a mother to us all."</p><p>A squinting child answers the door, her peepers widening at the sight of Hisagi.</p><p>"We aren't harboring any criminals here, sir!" she announces, recognizing him as a Shinigami.</p><p>"No, I'm not… I've come to speak to Lady Tōsen," Hisagi says, embarrassed. "Is she in?"</p><p>The child scrutinizes Hisagi for a beat, then widens the door. "Come in."</p><hr/><p>Hisagi sits before Ayagari Tōsen, a silver-haired woman who is on the latter side of a millennia in age. Spindly in frame with a kind face, she smiles patiently as her child attendant pours her and Hisagi each a cup of tea.</p><p>"I do enjoy my Bancha," she remarks with a quavering voice. "I don't need sustenance like you do, of course. There is no Reiatsu to feed in these old bones. But… flavor is an indulgence I allow myself."</p><p>Hisagi lifts his cup of Bancha tea, politely nodding before taking a sip.</p><p>"Thank you, Lady Tōsen," he says, setting his cup down. "I'm hoping to ask you some questions. I have to record everything we discuss, if you have no objections?"</p><p>Ayagari nods, pursing her lips along the rim of her tea. "You're very polite for a Shinigami," she remarks. "What is it you've come all this way to ask me about?"</p><p>"Tōsen Kaname," Hisagi answers.</p><p>Ayagari's expression drops. She shakily sets her cup down.</p><p>"I was appalled to learn about the trouble he got himself into," she admits. "A plot to kill the Reiō? What blasphemy. It sounded nothing like the Kaname I knew."</p><p>Hisagi grasps the hem of the scroll on his hip, stretching out a swath of blank parchment and transcribing Ayagari's words with his brush.</p><p>"Can you tell me about him – as you knew him?" the lieutenant asks.</p><p>"Kaname was as good a child as any who ever graced my shelter," Ayagari reminisces. "Funnily enough, he actually came to live here by bringing in an injured girl he had rescued from a mugging. When I saw that he was blind, I insisted he stay as well. He was contemplative, quiet. I cannot recall a more pensive boy. Whatever horrors he endured before, he never shared them with me. Instead, he busied himself with helping take care of the others, even though he was younger than many of them! He was… well, he was a good child."</p><p>Hisagi studiously records Ayagari's account, feeling a pang of melancholy with every brushstroke. "How long did he live here, in your care?"</p><p>"I daresay it was about twenty years," Ayagari recalls. "He was still a boy when Kakyō took him. I felt as though I lost my –"</p><p>"Pardon me," Hisgagi interrupts. "Who is Kakyō?"</p><p>"Lady Kakyō?' Ayagari repeats, surprised that Hisagi doesn't recognize the name. "A goddess if ever there was one. She was the only noblewoman from the Seireitei to ever venture out here and meet with the children. A very charitable disposition. I remember the day she met Kaname; she was so taken with how he looked after his peers like an older brother. She took him back with her to the Seireitei, saw to it that he received an education, opportunity. I never saw him again after that. He sent me some money for the children over a few decades, but that was all."</p><p>"This Kakyō is a noblewoman?" Hisagi asks, seeking clarification.</p><p>"She was," Ayagari answers. "She died over a century ago. Young man, how do you not know of Hosaji Kakyō?"</p><hr/><p><strong>KARAKURA TOWN - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong><br/><strong>XCUTION HEADQUARTERS (IN THE BACK OF THE VAN)</strong><br/>Kūgo Ginjō swivels around in his barstool, cradling a glass of whiskey.</p><p>"Nice to have you back, Ichigo."</p><p>Ichigo stands awkwardly in the lounge, flanked by a stolid Chad and a visibly irritated Tatsuki. He scrutinizes Ginjō for a beat, sensing something different about his vibe. <em>He seems more… open</em>, Ichigo thinks.</p><p>"Can we get you something drink?" Ginjō asks eagerly, motioning to Giriko. "Hey, get this kid an orange juice. You hungry? We got sandwiches."</p><p>"You don't have to lay it on so thick," Jackie says saucily, sucking at her gin and tonic through a straw. She shoots Ichigo a sly look. "Ginjō here is trying to overcompensate because you accused him of being creepy last time. It's made him horrifically self-conscious, the poor dear."</p><p>Ginjō's eyes narrow. "I'm just being hospitable, Jackie."</p><p>"I can go for some orange juice, thanks," Ichigo answers tersely, trying to be a good guest despite his reservations. He sidles up next to Ginjō at the bar and takes a sip of the citrus. "I'm sorry if I was… ungrateful the other night."</p><p>"Look kid, I get it – we're shifty," Ginjō smiles softly. "I was straight up with you the first time, and I'll be straight up with you now: we want to help you because we need your help in return. This is transactional, but we don't need to be suspicious of each other."</p><p>Ginjō holds up his glass of whiskey for cheers. Ichigo's eyes the alcohol, then looks to his orange juice, becoming self-conscious that he is dealing with a proper adult – and a cool one at that. He begrudgingly clinks glasses with Ginjō and sips his orange juice. He looks over to Giriko, who is minding a glass with a reserved countenance.</p><p>"I don't know who to trust anymore," Ichigo admits, swirling his drink. "I figure I ought to take a chance on someone who hasn't had the chance to stab me in the back, yet."</p><p>"Oof, sounds like you're having a rough go of it," Ginjō mutters, slinging back his booze and slamming the glass on the counter. He hops off the stool, striding over to a massive bookcase sandwiched between the couches. One of the titles catches his eye: he plucks it out, then another tome, and swaps their slots on the shelf.</p><p>"Darling, what are you doing?" Jackie asks, slightly alarmed.</p><p>"These are out of alphabetical order," Ginjō answers distractedly, swapping some more books between shelves. "What the hell – who organized this? It's friggin' sloppy."</p><p>"Master Ginjō, can we focus on the matter at hand?" Giriko pipes in, sounding as alarmed as Jackie.</p><p>Ginjō casts his two cohorts an irritated look, then returns his attention to Ichigo.</p><p>"Look, kid – you're not the only one worried about trust," the XCution leader says, digging his hands in his pockets. "We've been hunted, stalked, and most of our friends have been murdered. We banded together because we all share the same desire – we don't wanna be screwed with anymore. If you feel like the world's conspiring against you, then you're in good company."</p><p>Ichigo softens, feeling himself being won over. Deep down, he can tell that Ginjō is being sincere. He flinches when Jackie claps her hands together, rubbing her palms in excitement.</p><p>"So, shall we begin?" the posh Fullbringer asks, casting Ichigo a flirtatious look.</p><p>Right on cue, Riruka kicks open the backroom door, carrying a hefty dollhouse into the lounge. "Yes, lets!" she concurs, slamming her box onto a table. "Yasutora and doll-face, you're up!"</p><p>Ichigo looks befuddled. <em>Who's doll-face?</em> he wonders, looking to Tatsuki.</p><p>"Not her – you!" Riruka barks, pointing directly at the strawberry.</p><p>"I'm doll-face?" Ichigo asks blankly.</p><p>"Yeah – you're cute until you open your mouth," Riruka pouts, slapping her hand atop her pink dollhouse. "Just like this box – it's hella cute, don't you agree?"</p><p>"Uh, what?" Ichigo stammers back, eyeing the hot pink box.</p><p>"My Fullbring is <strong>Asobudōrahasu</strong>," Riruka explains. "My totems are my dollhouses. I build them up real cute, and I can enlarge anything I find adorable. What's more, I can let people into them."</p><p>"I didn't realize they had to be cute," Tatsuki interjects, her brow arched in skepticism. "How was the Shiver Timber bar 'cute', exactly? It had the decor of a pirate ship."</p><p>"A pirate ship with hearts carved underneath the floorboards," Riruka snipes back. "So long as I add a sweet little flourish, it counts, okay? Look up real quick."</p><p>Riruka juts a thumb up, prompting everyone to glance at the ceiling: a smattering of bunny rabbits punctuated with polka dots are etched into the foundation.</p><p>"Dammit," Tatsuki mutters. "That is really cute."</p><p>"Now, if you'll allow me to do my thing, Tatsuki-chan," Riruka continues snippily, fishing a notebook from her blouse. She clicks a pink pen open, scribbles something down, and slaps the note on the table. "This is your password, Yasutora and doll-face."</p><p>"Password for what?" Ichigo wonders.</p><p>"For your training ground," Ginjō answers, his tone almost apologetic. "You'll understand soon enough."</p><p>Chad strides forward, plucking up the note. He looks to Ichigo: "Let's try and say it at the same time."</p><p>Ichigo leans over, embarrassed by what he reads. He and Chad summon their most masculine of voices and simultaneously utter "Just a pigtailed girl in the big city / Feed me a cupcake / And I'll be a piggy!"</p><p>There is a pause, followed by… nothing. Ichigo shoots Riruka an irate look. "Okay, are you pranking –?"</p><p>His words trail off as both he and Chad morph into shapeless light, shoot down into the dollhouse, and land with a crash. Ichigo groggily rubs his head and surveys his surroundings. They're inside a toy box, an array of stuffed piglets lining the walls like suits of armor.</p><p>"Where the hell are we?" he asks, looking to Chad – who also looks a little woozy after their discombobulating trip.</p><p>"You're inside my dollhouse!" a booming voice thunders from above.</p><p>Chad and Ichigo look up to see the ceiling slide off, revealing Riruka's giant face gazing down at them. "This is where I keep my piggy dolls – dont'cha just wanna eat them?"</p><p>"These are just your pig dolls?" Ichigo asks bemusedly, observing the dozen porcine plushies. "How many stuffed animals do you own?"</p><p>"More than the amount of yen in your bank account," Riruka retorts, her brow furrowed. "Just be grateful that I've placed you somewhere soft to cushion your falls while Yasutora slaps you around."</p><p>"What?!" Ichigo exclaims, looking to Chad. "You expect me to fight you?"</p><p>"What's the problem?" Chad replies, his right arm hardening into Brazo Derecha Del Gigante. "Remember when we used to go a few rounds just for fun?"</p><p>Chad launches forward, swinging his fist towards Ichigo. The strawberry leaps aside with a yelp, eyes wide with panic.</p><p>"Hold on, Chad – that was when we were on the same level!" Ichigo protests, watching his friend's hardened fist bury into the springy floor, nearly puncturing it. "You're gonna kill me if you get a direct hit!"</p><p>"We weren't on the same level then, Ichigo," Chad replies, rising to his full height and swinging a kick that Ichigo evades with a duck. "You were always above me. You hit harder and could take more punishment. But that just encouraged me to get stronger. I'm returning the favor!"</p><p>A flummoxed Riruka watches as the miniaturized Chad chases Ichigo around the toy box, the strawberry practically bouncing off the walls as he struggles to evade the Gigante's punches. She looks back at Ginjō with alarm.</p><p>"You sure Yasutora's not gonna kill this guy?" she asks.</p><p>Ginjō shrugs.</p><p>Ichigo jumps up from the bouncy floor, springing up and narrowly evading another swing from Chad.</p><p>"How do you expect me to fight back?" he asks as he lands back down.</p><p>"By activating your Fullbring, Ichigo!" Chad declares. "You already have everything you need, you just need to use it!"</p><p>Chad charges at Ichigo like a bull seeing red. Ichigo flees to one of the piglet plushies, hoists it up, and flings it at the incoming bruiser. Chad nonchalantly punches the incoming doll and sends it flying back at Ichigo like a missile. The strawberry is struck by the piglet and launched back against the rubbery wall, bouncing off from it and flopping onto the ground.</p><p>"How the hell am I supposed to learn how to use Fullbring if you're not gonna tell me how it works?" Ichigo grits, picking himself back up.</p><p>"You learn through instinct," Chad answers. "Remember what's important to you and channel that feeling into the item you treasure above all others. Do you want to know what my totem is, Ichigo? It's my medallion!"</p><p>Chad lifts the Mexican coin necklaced around his throat, brandishing it before Ichigo.</p><p>"This coin is over a century old, gifted to me by my grandfather, Oscar Joaquín de la Rosa!" Chad declares. "It symbolizes my promise to him never to raise my fists unless it was to protect those who cannot defend themselves. I've worn it every day since, and I realize now that it is the totem that has helped me uphold my vow."</p><p>Ichigo listens in wide-eyed awe, reminded that Chad lived a complicated life before they ever met.</p><p>"My Fullbring is <strong>Armadura Satánica</strong>!" Chad roars. "It turns my skin into the shield that guards my friends! I've wanted to protect you ever since you lost your powers, but I knew you wouldn't accept my help."</p><p>He crashes his fist into the ground, setting off a tremulous pulse throughout the plush toy box. Ichigo feels the shockwave seep beneath him, launching him up like a trampoline. He lands back down with a buoyant bounce, feeling pissed off.</p><p>"You're angry because I didn't want you babysitting me, Chad?!" he barks. "Is that why you're lording over how much stronger you are than me, now? You think I'm jealous of you?!"</p><p>Chad pauses, looking wounded. "No," he answers. "I think you've lost who you are, Ichigo. You've always been the one putting yourself on the line for everyone else, because you've been the strongest among us. Whenever we weren't up to a challenge, you pushed yourself to meet it. I can't convince you to accept my protection because that's just not who you are. The best I can do is remind you of why you became a Shinigami to begin with!"</p><p>Chad's left arm hardens into Brazo Izquierda del Diablo, giving him dual fists of destruction. He claps his hands together, sending forth a pulse of kinetic energy that knocks Ichigo back against the wall. The strawberry slides down with a squeak, dazed. He watches numbly as Chad launches forward, swinging a devastating punch. Unable to defend himself, Ichigo braces himself for impact, only for Chad's fist to halt within an inch of his face. There is a long pause shared between the two friends.</p><p>"Accept how powerless you are now, Ichigo," Chad advises gravely. "We've all felt this way – Tatsuki, Orihime, Uryū, and me. Now it's your turn, again. The question is: what are you going to do about it?!"</p><p>Something lights awake in Ichigo's eyes. He springs up, taking advantage of the opening Chad's given him. The Gigante lunges his armored arm upward, only for Ichigo to swerve past it.</p><p>"I'll just need to get stronger!" the strawberry roars, landing a punch against Chad's chin. The Gigante slides back. He rubs his jaw, pleased to learn that Ichigo's punches haven't lost their intensity. He looks over to see his friend looking excited.</p><p>"Thanks, Chad," Ichigo smiles, his appetite for battle reignited. "I think I know what you meant when you said I already have everything I need."</p><p>He reaches into his back pocket and produces his Shinigami Substitute badge. Chad smiles.</p><p>"I've got my totem right here!" Ichigo declares triumphantly. He summons all of his focus, pride, and spirit – and pours them all into his badge. Suddenly… nothing happens. The pendant just remains a hunk of wood. Ichigo, confused, tries to focus harder.</p><p>Riruka frowns, watching Ichigo strain every muscle in his body.</p><p>"What the hell are you doing?" she asks. "You look constipated."</p><p>"Stop breaking my concentration!" Ichigo barks up at her.</p><p>"It's not going to work," Tatsuki remarks, drawing looks from her XCution cohorts. "I appreciate what Chad's getting at, but it isn't battle pride that drives Ichigo. It's his desperation to protect the people he cares about. Trust me, if love of fighting was what made him strong, then I wouldn't have kicked his ass a hundred times when we were kids at the dojo."</p><p>Ginjō considers this for a beat, then grins mischievously.</p><p>"Then I guess we just need to put one of his friend's in danger if we're gonna get this party started," the XCution leader concludes. "Riruka – unleash the pigs."</p><p>Riruka huffs haughtily and turns back to the toy box.</p><p>"Alright, new plan!" she announces, raising her fingers like a puppeteer manipulating strings. "Yasutora – sorry, honey."</p><p>Ichigo and Chad look on in alarm as one of the piglet plushies springs to life, morphing into a jumbo-sized monstrosity.</p><p>"Meet Mr. Pork," Riruka says. "He'll be your new sparring partner."</p><p>"How… how'd you do that?" Ichigo stammers, staring at Mr. Pork with equal parts fear and incredulity.</p><p>"Everything I build into my dollhouses is under my control," Riruka explains. "I stitched together every doll I own – meaning I can control them, too. Now, Mr. Pork – kill Yasutora."</p><p>"What?!" Chad exclaims, assuming a guard stance as Mr. Pork lumbers forward. The plushie swings down its rotund fists, only for Chad to deflect them with his right arm. The Gigante counters with a strike of his own left fist, but the punch slides ineffectually off from Mr. Pork's bulbous belly. The oversized pig snatches Chad up in a bear hug and squeezes him tight.</p><p>"What the hell, guys!" Ichigo exclaims, looking up at Riruka's looming face. "I thought Chad was part of your team! Is this how you treat your own?!"</p><p>"Yasutora signed up to help you realize your Fullbring," Riruka frowns. "If putting him in mortal danger gives you the kick in the butt you need, then I got no problem with that. Now hop to it, doll-face."</p><p>Riruka tenses her fingers again, prompting the remaining piglet dolls to morph into a swarm of Mr. Porks. They all pile onto Chad, forming a mountain of plushiness. Ichigo watches in a panic, then looks back to his badge. He squeezes it, desperately trying to figure out how to channel his Reikyō or whatever the hell Ginjō called it. He can barely concentrate, his eyes drawn back to the wriggling mass of pigs burying Chad.</p><p>"Come on!" he screams in desperation, breaking into a cold sweat and shaking the badge around. "Wake up, dammit!"</p><p>"Ichigo!" Tatsuki's voice booms overhead.</p><p>Ichigo looks up to see Tatsuki looming above, squeezing beside Riruka cheek-to-cheek and glaring down at him.</p><p>"It's unacceptable if you let Chad die!" Tatsuki asserts, her eyes severe. "I won't forgive you! And what's more, you won't be able to forgive yourself!"</p><p>Ichigo tenses, gazing wide-eyed up at Tatsuki. She's like a god passing judgment on him from the sky. His mind goes back to what Chad told him earlier: "The best I can do is remind you of why you became a Shinigami to begin with!"</p><p><em>I only became a Shinigami because Rukia was there to give me her power</em>, Ichigo thinks, flustered. <em>I didn't do anything</em>!</p><p>Suddenly, he remembers the exact words he exchanged with Rukia the night they met, when the Hollow was trudging up to kill his sisters.</p><p>"Do you want to save your family?" Rukia asked. "There is a way… No, to be exact, there is only one way… You become a Shinigami."</p><p>He remembers when Rukia stipulated that the ritual of transferring half her power to him could backfire.</p><p>"The percentage of success is not high," Rukia warned. "If it fails, you die! However, there is no other way!"</p><p>Ichigo's eyes widen with epiphany. <em>That's right</em>, he realizes. <em>I chose to be a Shinigami… because there was no other way</em>!</p><p>There is flash, and suddenly four curved blades of black energy sprout from the Substitute Shinigami badge, radiating around Ichigo. <em>This is… Zangetsu's guard</em>? he thinks, recognizing the shape.</p><p>Riruka and Tatsuki look down in astonishment as Ichigo's Fullbring manifests in the form of a tsuba, crackling with Reikyō.</p><p>"Very good, Ichigo," Ginjō grins.</p><p>Feeling a burst of exhilaration, Ichigo looks determinedly at the herd of Mr. Porks. They all rear up and glare at him, threatened by the weapon he's awakened.</p><p>"Mr. Porks, new plan!" Riruka announces, curling her fingers. "Attack doll-face!"</p><p>The plushies all launch forward. Ichigo assumes a guard stance, cracking a grin. He holds his tsuba like a discus and flings it at his attackers – only for the black energy fringing it to dissipate immediately upon leaving his fingers. The badge bounces ineffectually off of the leading pig.</p><p>"Oh, shit," Ichigo gulps, leaping out of the way to dodge the stampeding dolls. They smash into the wall, bouncing off of each other, causing the entire toy box to shake.</p><p>"And here I was starting to think he was slick," Riruka remarks.</p><p>Ichigo runs for his life, dodging swipes from the chasing Mr. Porks. He runs past Chad, then halts with a double-take: Chad doesn't have a scratch on him.</p><p>"I thought you were getting mauled!" Ichigo exclaims.</p><p>"They're made of stuffing, Ichigo," Chad replies, dusting himself off. "It was like I was being smothered by marshmallows."</p><p>"Did you really think I'd try and kill Yasutora?!" Riruka asks indignantly, scrunching her face.</p><p>"Well, that was kind of the impression we were trying to give," Ginjō mutters.</p><p>The Mr. Porks charge Ichigo in unison, prompting him to flee again. Chad picks up the Substitute Shinigami badge off the ground and tosses it over.</p><p>"Ichigo – don't drop it this time!" he shouts.</p><p>Ichigo leaps up to catch the whirring badge, grasping it right before he is tackled by a pig plushie. He reignites his tsubai, the blades repelling the doll like an unfurling umbrella. Backflipping into a crouch, Ichigo assesses his options.</p><p><em>So the badge loses the shape of Zangetsu's guard when I let go of it?</em> he realizes. <em>Then I guess I need to wield it like a</em> –</p><p>There is a kinetic pulse that shoots up Ichigo's arm, startling him. His eyes widen with excitement. <em>This sensation – I know this feeling.</em></p><p>Ichigo looks at the incoming horde of Mr. Porks. He rears his tsuba back, channeling his Reikyō into his badge until the Fullbring is glowing hot. Chad looks on in astonishment, wondering <em>Is Ichigo really going to? –</em></p><p>"Getsuga Tenshō!" Ichigo roars, whipping his tsuba forward and unleashes a spinning, wheelbarrow-shaped projectile straight at the incoming array of piglets. Stuffing flies into the air as the missile rips through the herd of Mr. Porks, slicing them all in half before crashing into the other end of the dollhouse, leaving a smoking imprint on the wall.</p><p>Chad, Riruka, and Tatsuki are stunned into silence by the feat. Ichigo looks down at his tsuba, marveling at the energy he's conjured. He instinctually deactivates it, shutting off the faucet of Reikyō he was feeding into the badge.</p><p>"You… you asshole!" Riruka exclaims, furious. "Now I have stitch them back together!" She angrily shakes the table and causes an earthquake inside of the toy box, sending Ichigo and Chad crashing around.</p><p>Tatsuki allows herself a soft smile. <em>He really did it</em>, she thinks. <em>Nice to see you in action, Ichigo</em>.</p><hr/><p><strong>KUROSAKI HOUSE – OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong><br/>Karin's Shinigami form slips into her room through a window, only to be confronted by a horrific sight: her human body playing "tea time" with Yuzu. The two sisters are giggling together, clinking empty teacups with an array of dolls joining them at the plastic table. It's like a socialite brunch played out in their imagination.</p><p>"I didn't think you'd go for this at all, Karin!" Yuzu laughs. "I figured you were too cool for it, now. That voice you keep doing is so funny!"</p><p>"What, <strong>this voice</strong>?" Kon responds through Karin's lips, passing off his whiny male voice as a put-on. Yuzu giggles into her teacup in response.</p><p><em>Dammit, Kon</em>, Karin fumes, her eyebrow twitching in agitation.</p><p>Kon looks up and sees that his vessel's rightful owner has returned. His eyes widen with surprise.</p><p>"Uh, I'll be right back, Yuzu – I gotta hit the can!" he says hurriedly, ducking out of the room. Yuzu watches her sister scamper away, confused. "The can?" she repeats.</p><p>Kon shuts the bathroom door behind him and turns on the sink. He flinches when Karin phases through the door, arms crossed.</p><p>"What the hell are you doing?" she asks.</p><p>"I'm maintaining my cover," the mod soul whispers, knowing his voice can be heard by Yuzu in the other room. "She looked sad – I figured she could use some sister time."</p><p>"Playing 'tea time' will only encourage her," Karin grits. "We're too old to be playing with dolls. You do understand I wouldn't be caught dead doing that, right?"</p><p>Kon frowns, striking a haughty pose.</p><p>"Look, with your brother all pissed off, somebody's gotta be instilling some harmony in this household," he protests. "Yuzu feels neglected. You understand that, right?"</p><p>"I've been busy!" Karin hisses, clasping her Zanpakutō hilt. "Slaying Hollows isn't exactly a hobby I can just put off, OK?"</p><p>"Your sister's a good kid!" Kon pushes back, letting his voice rise. "She's kind and real patient with this crazy family of yours. Why do you think she's playing with her dolls again? Because her brother and sister keep ignoring her."</p><p>Karin's eyes widen. She sighs.</p><p>Yuzu patiently waits for her sister to return, pretending to pour a fresh cup of nonexistent tea for her duck plushie. Karin reenters the bedroom, begrudgingly plunking herself down in a chair.</p><p>"So, where were we?" Karin asks, awkwardly plucking up her teacup.</p><p>"Hm?" Yuzu murmurs, looking up distractedly from her imaginary pour. "Why'd you stop making the voice?"</p><p>"I lost it," Karin grumbles. "Can I get refill, or are you gonna leave me thirsty?"</p><hr/><p><strong>XCUTION HEADQUARTERS - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong><br/>"So can we get out of here?" Ichigo asks, rubbing his head after ping-ponging around the dollhouse. "I've had enough of this box already."</p><p>Riruka jots down a new password on her notepad, tears off the page, and drops it into the dollhouse. As it enters her domain, the leaflet shrinks down until it's to scale with Ichigo and Chad. The strawberry snatches the note from air, reads it, then looks angrily up at Riruka.</p><p>"I'm not saying this," he says flatly.</p><p>"Those are the rules, doll-face," Riruka retorts, turning her nose up. "When the dollhouse is activated, you need a password to get in, and you need another password to get out."</p><p>Ichigo sighs, handing the paper to Chad. The Gigante reads it, then blushes. They summon their breath and simultaneously chant the password aloud.</p><p>"So sad to hear that doll-face is taken / If he were single / I'd have me his bacon!" they roar, followed by an unenthusiastic "Oink, oink… sigh, oink!"</p><p>The toy box rattles around, a beam of light shooting out from it and depositing Ichigo and Chad into the lounge. They both look like they're going to puke.</p><p>"I feel… queasier than usual," Chad grumbles.</p><p>"Of course you do – you were just in a dollhouse within a dollhouse," Riruka explains, gesturing to the room surrounding them. "The more levels you go down, the more compacted you become. Transitioning back comes with more kick. Both of you are gonna be really feeling it when you exit headquarters."</p><p>"Great," Ichigo pants, turning a shade of green. He notices the dark bruises materializing around his wrists. "I guess I got pretty beat up back there."</p><p>"Giriko – help him with that," Ginjō orders.</p><p>Giriko strides up to Ichigo, studying his injuries. He delicately places his fingers on Ichigo's chest, intoning "Tanshin no Tokei."</p><p>A wreathe of green energy encircles Ichigo, the flickering ribbon swirling around his wrists.</p><p>"Whoa!" Ichigo gasps. "What is this?"</p><p>"It is my Fullbring, Mr. Kurosaki," Giriko answers ceremonially. "<strong>Jikanwa uso Tsukanai</strong>. I just set a short-hand timer on your injuries, accelerating their period of recovery. How fortunate that you have only harnessed a fraction of your Reikyō so far. The more powerful an individual, the more Reikyō I have to expel when setting a timer on them. Given your power now, you will be right as rain shortly."</p><p>Ichigo looks on in awe as his bruises recede, his skin returning to a healthy glow. He looks up at Giriko with a smile.</p><p>"You can screw with time?" he asks. "That's pretty cool."</p><p>Giriko's mustache twitches as his lips curl into a smile. He parts his vest, revealing his totem: a pocket watch ticking away in his breast pocket.</p><p>"I create a contract with Time – it is not to be trifled with," Giriko clarifies. "I determine the finishing point of an inevitability and choose to either accelerate or slowdown how soon that action completes itself. Such power carries consequences. Should I try and end a condition prematurely, Time will reap a heavy toll."</p><p>"This was a helluva good start, Ichigo," Ginjō interjects. "We'll continue tomorrow."</p><p>"What, but I just got patched up," Ichigo protests. "I can keep going."</p><p>"Doesn't work like that," Ginjō says. "You've only broken the seal on your Reikyō – you need to give your body time to adjust. Remember that you're not wearing a Shinigami suit anymore – you're putting a strain on your human bones and tissue. Look at it like this: you've already spent over a year powerless – what's another day gonna do?"</p><hr/><p><strong>SOUL SOCIETY – THE NEXT MORNING</strong><br/><strong>THE SEVENTH DIVISION BARRACKS</strong><br/>Captain Sajin Komamura of the Seventh Division strides along the courtyard of his barracks, joined by Captain Love of the Third Division. Sajin has invited Love over for a chat and a stroll, hoping to ease any tension between them. The matter is delicate: Love was the captain of Seventh Division before he was banished when Aizen used him as a Hollowfication experiment a century ago. He made no attempt to reclaim the Seventh Division when the Gotei invited him and his fellow Visoreds to rejoin, but Sajin wants to clear the air as a gesture of respect.</p><p>"I would understand if you hold some resentment towards me, Captain Aikawa," Sajin admits. "I am carrying on the title that was wrongfully ripped away from you."</p><p>"You've headed Seventh Division for decades now, Komamura," Love replies, waving away the wolf's concerns. "I'm not the sentimental type – Third Division will do just fine."</p><p>"Well then I shall not press the matter further," Sajin concludes. "How is Kira Izuru faring under your command?"</p><p>Love thinks back on the disastrous encounter he had with Kira their first week of serving together, when he had given him homework:</p><p>
  <em>Kira's eyes widen with surprise as Love slams a stack of mangas on the table.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This is your assigned reading!" Love announces. "I want a report on the entire of oeuvre of Otomo Katsuhiro by the end of the week. Start with Dōmu – that's his masterpiece, no matter what the Akira heads would have you believe. After you've finished with him, move on to Dragon Head, then 20th Century Boys. When you make your way through all that, you can read Dominion Tank Police. That'll be dessert."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kira, completely baffled, picks up a manga from the stack and flips through it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Uh, captain… why do these books have so many pictures?" he asks.</em>
</p><p>Love bristles at the memory. "The kid's a little uncultured, but I'll get him there."</p><p>Sajin's ears perk up, detecting the unique patter of Hisagi's footsteps. He turns to see the Ninth Division lieutenant entering the courtyard. Hisagi halts, looking sheepish. Love lowers his sunglasses, scrutinizing Hisagi from afar.</p><p>"He looks like he just got caught with his dad's Playboy Magazine," Love whistles. "I'll let you two hash out whatever he's got going on. Appreciate the call, Komamura."</p><hr/><p>Sajin stokes the fire-pit at the center of the balcony extending from his quarters, gazing out at the Plum Blossoms blooming in the garden below. He smiles, then turns his attention to Hisagi, who sits cross-legged across the crackling flames.</p><p>"I'm investigating Captain Tōsen's life," Hisagi discloses. "The Captain-Commander has sanctioned it."</p><p>"So I've heard," Sajin replies gruffly, setting down the fire-poker. "I was wondering why you hadn't come to me first."</p><p>"I didn't want to upset you," Hisagi says earnestly. "I know his death still… weighs heavily on you."</p><p>Sajin studies Hisagi for a beat, then replies "I think it weighs heavily on the both of us. I've already told you not to blame yourself for what happened."</p><p>Hisagi tenses up, eyes wet. "I don't," he asserts, sounding like he's trying to convince himself more than reassure Sajin. "I just… I can't accept him only being remembered as a traitor. I need history to understand the man he was."</p><p>"The man he was," Sajin repeats wistfully. "Well… what have you discovered so far?"</p><p>"First, I visited where he grew up in the Rukongai –"</p><p>"Tōsen House?"</p><p>"That's right," Hisagi continues. "Lady Tōsen was kind enough to grant me an interview. She mentioned that he was brought to Soul Society by Hosaji Kakyō –"</p><p>Sajin's eyes widen. He shifts uncomfortably, visibly unnerved. Hisagi pauses, wondering if he's overstepped.</p><p>"Captain?"</p><p>"What do you know of Kakyō?" Sajin asks.</p><p>"I had never heard of her before, which surprised Lady Tōsen," Hisagi admits. "After I submitted my report to Captain Ukitake this morning, I searched for her in the archives. I could only find a birthdate, confirming she was royalty. There was nothing else."</p><p>Sajin nods, unsurprised.</p><p>"What… do you know of Kakyō, Captain Komamura?" Hisagi asks.</p><p>"She was very dear to Tōsen," Sajin answers. "He did not speak of her often, but when he did – I never heard him sound so passionate otherwise. She was his benefactor and mentor. I suspect many of the lessons he taught you were learnt from her. I'm not surprised he never told you about her. She… apparently committed suicide long ago. Her death weighed heavily on Tōsen. It was a deep wound."</p><p>Hisagi scoots forward in interest, feeling the fire warm him. "It's irregular for a noblewoman to have such scant records in the Grand Archive," the lieutenant says. "Why do you think hers are practically blank?"</p><p>"Because of her husband," Sajin says with a heavy sigh. "Kakyō was the first and last wife of the Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō – Tokinada."</p><p>Hisagi's eyes widen. <em>A Tenrai-chō?</em> he thinks. Heads of the four Shisonka families, the Tenrai-chō are together the most authoritative political power in Soul Society.</p><p>"The moment when Kakyō married into the Tsunayashiro lineage, all recorded history of her belonged to their House," Sajin continues. "Her records are kept by Tokinada, not the Grand Archive."</p><p>There is a long, agonizing silence shared between captain and lieutenant. Hisagi clears his throat.</p><p>"Well then I guess I need to ask the Tsunayshiro Tenrai-chō to give them to me," he muses.</p><p>"Beg pardon?!" Sajin exclaims, his ears twitching in agitation. "Shūhei, it would be presumptuous for even a captain to request an audience with a Tenrai-chō! They are the most powerful people in Soul Society. Even Captain-Commander Yamamoto answers to them. Do you understand?"</p><p>"I do," Hisagi nods. "But the Captain-Commander has granted me permission to investigate the origins of Captain Tōsen. If what you're saying about Kakyō is true, then… I need to learn about her if I'm to understand him."</p><p>Sajin's expression softens. He sighs, accepting the wisdom of Hisagi's argument.</p><p>"You will need a captain escorting you, at the very least," the wolf concludes. "I can see if he will grant you an audience. Do not expect him to entertain any questions, though."</p><p>"You can do that, captain?" Hisagi asks, his curiosity piqued.</p><p>Sajin nods, his eyes reflective.</p><p>"I have… a unique relationship with Tsunayashiro House," the wolf answers cryptically.</p><hr/><p><strong>KARAKURA TOWN - THAT MORNING</strong><br/><strong>KUROSAKI CLINIC</strong><br/>There is a thunderous pounding against the door of the Kurosaki household. Ichigo jerks awake, wiping spittle from his mouth and rubbing a hand over his bedhead hair. He feels exhausted despite getting a full night's sleep.</p><p><em>The hell?</em> Ichigo wonders. <em>Is this what Ginjō meant when he said drawing out a Fullbring takes a lot out of a person?</em></p><p>The impatient rapping at the front door intensifies. Isshin strides across the living room, mug of coffee in hand, and answers. It's Ikumi Unagiya.</p><p>"Where the hell have you –" Ikumi barks irately, already launching into her tirade against Ichigo. She halts when she's received by Isshin, her scolding completely derailed. "Oh, um… are you Mr. Kurosaki?"</p><p>Isshin hoists up his coffee mug as an affirmative gesture.</p><p>"Doctor Kurosaki, but call me Isshin," the patriarch answers. "So, what has my dumbass son done this time?"</p><p>"Dad, who's beating down the door?" Karin asks, stomping down the steps. She clocks Ikumi and halts. "Oh, hello."</p><p>"Hello!" Ikumi says with singsong sweetness, effortlessly shifting into the motherly demeanor she normally reserves for Kaoru. "You must be Ichigo's sister. He speaks very highly of you! Yuzu, right?"</p><p>"Wrong sibling," Karin grumbles.</p><p>Ichigo comes following down the staircase, looking groggy as a drunk. His bleary eyes widen when he sees Ms. Unagiya.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" he asks, trying to suppress a yawn.</p><p>"The more appropriate question is: what the hell are you doing not showing up to work?!" Ikumi roars, snapping back into her disciplinarian rage. "I've got a mountain of orders stacking up and you've been completely M.I.A."</p><p>"I've been… yawwwwwwn… busy," Ichigo replies, sounding much more laidback than he intends. "I'll knock them all out next weekend, okay?"</p><p>"Next weekend?!" Ikumi snaps back, pushing past Isshin to point an accusing finger at her employee. "You left my lawnmower on Mr. Yamashita's lawn with only half the job done, and then ignore all my calls?! What kind of bum are you?! WHY SHOULDN'T I FIRE YOUR LAZY ASS?!"</p><p>"Good question," Karin mumbles under her breath, drawing an annoyed look from her older brother.</p><p>"I apologize for my son's unprofessionalism," Isshin says casually, playfully waving a hand to draw Ikumi's gaze. "I try to instill a work ethic into him, but kids these days would rather be chasing clouds, y'know? How about we discuss his overdue tasks over breakfast and hash out a punctual-enough schedule?"</p><p>To Ichigo and Karin's mutual shock, Ikumi immediately softens. She gives the slightest of smiles, nodding to their dorky father. "I can eat."</p><hr/><p>Ichigo, Karin, and Yuzu all glare down at their plates of Nattō with stupefaction. This may be the first breakfast that Isshin has prepared for them that doesn't consist of cereal. They're also unnerved by how not embarrassing their dad is being while engaging in conversation with Ms. Unagiya.</p><p>"… So after I discovered mistress number two, I divorced his sorry ass," Ikumi explains between mouthfuls. "This is fabulous," she adds, pointing her chopsticks down at her plate. "It's so nice to see a family enjoying a proper breakfast. You're a very good cook, Isshin!"</p><p>"Who would have thought?" Ichigo mutters. He flinches when his father gives him a rueful kick beneath the table.</p><p>"My children's mother taught me how to cook, actually," Isshin offers. "One of the many blessings she gave me."</p><p>The Kurosaki siblings all look at their dad with surprise: they didn't know that about their mother. Ikumi places a hand over her heart, deeply moved.</p><p>"It must be so difficult, raising three children on your own," she muses.</p><p>"Being a single parent brings many challenges," Isshin nods sagely. "But also yields many rewards."</p><p>Karin notices that Miss Unagiya is twirling a finger through her hair. <em>What the hell is going on?</em> she wonders, completely flummoxed that her dad would ever hold any semblance of charm for a member of the female gender.</p><p>Yuzu, meanwhile, is staring at Miss Unagiya with moony eyes, elbows on the table as she props her chin in her hands. Ikumi notices the teenager's stare and becomes self-conscious.</p><p>"What's wrong – did I get food on my shirt again?" Ikumi asks, inspecting her t-shirt.</p><p>"You're sooooooo beautiful," Yuzu coos. "It's like we have an angel in our home."</p><p>Ichigo and Karin are both bug-eyed with confusion. Miss Unagiya smiles broadly, flattered by the praise.</p><p>"I haven't heard that in a while," she admits. "Thank you, young missy."</p><hr/><p>Ichigo and Karin watch in astonishment as their father continues to chat with Miss Unagiya as he sees her out. He actually looks suave for once.</p><p>"You are welcome to drop by any time," Isshin reassures her. "Whether it's to give my son a rightful kick in the ass or to enjoy some more of my cooking."</p><p>"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Ikumi says, drawing a crumbled list from her pocket. She shoves it into Ichigo's chest, reverting back to her stern demeanor. "Finish these five tasks before tomorrow or you're fired. For real, this time."</p><p>"You want me to do them tonight?!" Ichigo exclaims. "But I'm –"</p><p>"Busy?" Karin cuts him off. "With what? Orihime's not even in town…"</p><p>Ichigo glares down at his little sister. They have a tense stare-off until Ikumi interrupts.</p><p>"Have I made myself clear?!" she asks, hands on hips.</p><p>"Yeah, crystal," Ichigo grumbles, stuffing the list into his pocket.</p><p>"Don't make me regret giving you another shot," Ikumi says tersely before shifting back into wide-eyed sunniness to Isshin. "Thank you for a lovely breakfast, Isshin! Even if I have to fire Ichigo, I might just take you up on another meal – dinner, perhaps?"</p><p>Isshin imperceptibly blushes before giving a nod. "It would be my honor – and treat."</p><p>"Ta-ta!" Ikumi waves as she exits. Isshin shuts the door behind her, then turns to see the flummoxed frowns on Ichigo and Karin's faces.</p><p>"What?" the doctor asks innocently.</p><hr/><p><strong>KARAKURA TOWN – THAT EVENING</strong><br/>"This feels hazardous!" Keigo whines, hanging over a residential rooftop. He digs his hand into a gutter, pulling out a sopping wet clump of leaves.</p><p>"You're the one who volunteered us," Mizuiro chides from the safety of the lawn below, looking up at Keigo with annoyance. He pulls out the crumpled list of Ichigo's tasks for Miss Unagiya. He crosses off the second of five bulletpoints.</p><p>Keigo loses his balance, nearly teetering over the rooftop. He regains his grip, sighs with relief, and catches Mizuiro's irritated glare.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"It's nothing," Mizuiro answers tersely. "I'm just busy imagining doing literally anything else with my night."</p><hr/><p><strong>XCUTION HEADQUARTERS (IN THE BACK OF THE VAN)</strong><br/>"Eh?" Ginjō asks, having not been listening. He moves his Bishop across the chessboard, cornering Giriko's Queen, and then returns his attention to Ichigo. "What are you confused about?"</p><p>"Why does my Fullbring mirror the powers of Zangetsu?" Ichigo asks, holding up his Shinigami badge. "That was a Getsuga Tenshō I fired the other night. How's that possible?"</p><p>"I already told you: Reikyō echoes the Reiatsu residue your soul's been accruing after countless reincarnations," Ginjō explains impatiently, leaning back into his leather chair. "The more resonant the clap, the farther the echo travels. You were a Shinigami less than two years ago; it stands to reason that those powers are what's reverberating the most loudly inside of you. Hell, it's technically possible that your Fullbring evolves to a point that it's near-identical to your Shinigami power."</p><p>"What?" Ichigo gasps, his curiosity piqued.</p><p>"It's called <strong>Zengakusōki</strong>," Ginjō continues, his voice edged with ominous import. "The peak of a Fullbring's evolution, when it crystallizes your Reikyō to the point of perfectly replicating the most powerful form your soul has ever experienced. However..."</p><p>Ginjo returns his eyes back to the chessboard, shifting a pawn to box in Giriko's King. <em>Checkmate</em>.</p><p>"Only the most gifted of Fullbringers can harness this power. You will never be able achieve Zengakusōki using a totem. You must draw forth the Reikyō directly from your soul. If you can do that, then you can marshal all the trace memories of Reiatsu you've accumulated over millennia. A Fullbringer with that kind of power would be able to stand toe to toe with any Shinigami."</p><p>Ichigo's eyes widen. Chad and Tatsuki are also at full attention – they didn't know about this evolution, either. Ginjō studies his three acolytes' astonished faces for a beat, then grins.</p><p>"But why fantasize about flying when you're still learning to crawl?" the XCution leader asks rhetorically, sliding up out of his chair. Giriko finishes assessing the chessboard, giving up. He delicately lays his King onto its side, conceding defeat.</p><p>"Arisawa – you're on bat, tonight," Ginjō announces with a nod.</p><p>Tatsuki grimaces, clutching at the satchel notched around her waist. She looks at Ichigo with uncertain eyes. He looks back at her, not sure if he's more nervous about fighting her or simply talking to her. This is a confrontation that's been brewing, and it's about to pop.</p><p>"Alrighty, let's get this party started!" Riruka announces, slapping a new dollhouse onto a table, the box obscured by a blanket. She whisks off the tarp, revealing a glass prism with sandy pebbles and a thin veneer of water at the bottom. A pair of adorable Googly eyes have been glued onto the face of the pane.</p><p>"You're fighting in a fish tank this time!" Riruka gloats, turning to Ichigo and Tatsuki for approval. She frowns when she sees their flummoxed faces. "Okay, so I hit a wall when it came to creative inspiration and I improvised, okay?! It's not like I don't already have a bunch of other projects I'm tending to."</p><p>"The fish tank will do," Tatsuki says curtly, shooting Ichigo a contemptuous glare. He nearly flinches from the daggers she's throwing at him, then gives a concurring nod.</p><p>Riruka irritably scribbles down a password and hands the note to Ichigo. He awkwardly leans over to Tatsuki so she can read it, too. They both sigh and announce the password together:</p><p>"We'll Huff, we'll Puff, and we'll Blow Fish your aquarium down!"</p><p>They shape-shift into a conjoined blob of light and fire down inside the tank, the glass rumbling when they land. Chad looks to Ginjō with a skeptical look.</p><p>"I don't know if you've noticed, but Ichigo and Tatsuki haven't been on good terms, lately. This could be messy."</p><p>"I've noticed," Ginjō replies. "That's what I'm banking on."</p><p>Ichigo stands ankle-deep in filtered water, staring down Tatsuki across the shoals.</p><p>"Not feeling queasy this time?" she asks, hand on her hip.</p><p>"I adapt fast," Ichigo responds tersely. He studies her, unsure of what comes next. <em>I have no idea what her totem could be</em>, he thinks. <em>Is it her ribbon</em>?</p><p>Tatsuki tries to discern why Ichigo is staring at her chest. She realizes that he's scrutinizing the bow tied between her collar.</p><p>"That's not my totem, Ichigo," Tatsuki sighs with exasperation. She points down to her satchel. "I keep it in here."</p><p>Ichigo blushes, averting his eyes. "Well, are you gonna show me or what?"</p><p>"Fine," Tatsuki smiles cockily. She unzips the satchel and rests her hands back on her hips. After a beat... Ringo the weasel pops out from the pouch, snout twitching as he sniffs his new surroundings.</p><p>Ichigo nearly falls over in surprise.</p><p>"Ringo?!" he exclaims, eyes bugging out. "Is this a joke, Tatsuki?"</p><p>"Whoever said totems had to be inanimate objects?" Tatsuki replies slyly, a twinkle in her eye. Ringo crawls out from the satchel and scampers up to sit on her shoulder, munching on a pellet. "Ginjō explained it to me: animals have souls, too. Except, instead of going to Soul Society when they die, they reincarnate into the Beast Realm."</p><p>
  <em>We see a wild and unruly world of towering, snow-capped mountains and endless jungle. Beneath the canopy, a monkey with six arms swings from vine to vine. Below it trudges on an impossibly huge oxen, its horns flaring out with the wingspan of 12 meters.</em>
</p><p>"A Beast Realm?" Ichigo repeats, taken aback.</p><p>"Your Shinigami friends never told you that?" Tatsuki taunts. "It's where the yōkai roam. Ringo was a <strong>Kamaitachi</strong> ('Sickle Weasel') in a past life. That means he's carrying around Reikyō – just like you and me!"</p><p>Tatsuki extends out her arms and roars the name of her Fullbring: "<strong>Dōshikawa</strong>!"</p><p>Ringo morphs into an elastic pelt, swirling around like a veil and wrapping around Tatsuki's limbs. There is a flash of brilliant green light, a concentric pulse ebbing across the shallow water. Ichigo looks on in amazement as Tatsuki reemerges, her body swathed in the russet hue of Ringo's fur. A dark red tattoo rings around her right eye, mirroring the same flourish from the weasel's face. Her pixie cut has lengthened out into a long, feathered mane. She assumes an animalistic crouch, her eyes narrowed and full of malice.</p><p>"If you don't arm yourself immediately, you won't last long," she seethes.</p><p>Ichigo instinctually leaps aside, narrowly missing a kick from Tatsuki's clawed foot as she zips past him, a trace of green light following in her wake like a jet stream. <em>What is that light?</em> Ichigo wonders. He yelps in surprise when Tatsuki spins around, unleashing a fierce torrent of twisting wind with her next kick. Ichigo crosses his arms to brace himself, the pulse of kinetic energy nicking tiny cuts into his limbs. He feels his feet leave the ground as the air-current launches him skidding back across the shoals. He lands with a splash several yards away, dazed.</p><p>"My Fullbring binds Ringo and I together," Tatsuki declares, striking a stance of domineering poise. "Through him, I gain the power of the Kamaitachi."</p><p>Ichigo scrambles back up, inspecting the cuts on his forearms. He's unnerved by how imperceptible they felt.</p><p>"It didn't hurt, did it?" Tatsuki asks, gazing at him imperiously. "The wounds inflicted by my Jinkaze ('Swift Wind') are discrete, completely painless. It just unravels the knitting of your skin. But don't worry – those cuts are gonna really hurt soon enough."</p><p>Ichigo glowers at Tatsuki, tightening his grip around the Shinigami badge. He ignites his crackling tsuba and casts a spinning wheelbarrow of Getsgua Tenshō. Tatsuki cockily waits until it is within a meter of her before launching up into the air, a ripple of green luminescence pulsing from the ground beneath her. She neatly somersaults over Ichigo's attack, the projectile whirring up and crashing into the glass pane. The entire fish tank wobbles, but the surface doesn't crack.</p><p>"That's a condition I created for this dollhouse," Riruka explains to Chad as they watch the training unfold from above. "It'll take a lot more than that to break this glass."</p><p>"Well that's good," Chad mumbles. "I wouldn't want it raining down on them."</p><p>Tatsuki lands nimbly back down onto the shoals, hands on her hips.</p><p>"I'm a little harder to hit than a conga line of plush toys," she quips with a smug grin.</p><p>"That technique you keep using to leap around," Ichigo asks. "What is it?"</p><p>"They call it <strong>Bringer Light</strong>," Tatsuki replies. "We snap back the Reikyō residing in the ground to give our movements an extra spring. It's an advanced Fullbringer technique – too sophisticated for you to pull off anytime soon."</p><p>Ichigo frowns, just about fed up with Tatsuki's taunting. He swings his badge around, letting loose three more rings of Getsuga Tenshō. Tatsuki nimbly dashes between the trio of spinning blades, punching forth a pulse of Jinkaze towards Ichigo. He leaps aside, narrowly missing the surging air pocket. Tatsuki Bringer-Lights beside him, backhanding a swish of Jinkaze at point-blank range. Ichigo shields himself with his arms again, this time screaming in pain as the sharp air invades his open cuts. He is thrown tumbling back across the shoals, blood dripping from his forearms.</p><p>"Told you it would start to hurt," Tatsuki remarks, watching him struggle back to his feet. "Throwing around your frisbees isn't going to work. You need to take your Fullbring to the next level if you want to stand any chance."</p><p>Ichigo grimaces as he feels the biting sting emanating from his wounds. He's furious. Roaring with frustration, he unleashes another Getsuga Tenshō at Tatsuki.</p><hr/><p><strong>BŌNHŌKU HEADQUARTERS – OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</strong><br/>The gathered Bōnhōku members all sit at makeshift feast tables, digging into their dinner. The warehouse is now immaculate, per Tsukishima's orders. Several gang members glance around, weirded out by the new order of things and wondering how their organization had turned into this overnight. Nobody voices their concerns, however.</p><p>Shūkurō Tsukishima sits at the host seat, flanked by Moe Shishigawara and Abanji Hotoro. He picks at his plate, reading a book titled Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima.</p><p>"So what I've been trying to say is that we ID'd two of those punks from the Shiver Timber," Hotoro says between mouthfuls of veal. "Get a load of this: they're students. Names are Yasutora Sado and Tatsuki Arisawa."</p><p>"Excellent work, Hotoro!" Shishigawara shouts over the din. "We corner them and rough 'em up, and they'll give up the rest of XCution."</p><p>"You will do no such thing," Tsukishima interjects, not looking up from his book. "We'll leave them be for now."</p><p>"What?!" Shishi exclaims disappointedly. "But Tsukishima-sama, I can take 'em. I swear you won't even have to lift a finger. They just got lucky last time. Give me a chance, and I'll –"</p><p>"Moe-sama!" Hotoro angrily interrupts. "Tsukishima-sama has ordered us to stand down! Do not question his command."</p><p>"Don't scold me!" Moe snaps back indignantly. "I outrank you!"</p><p>Tsukishima's brow furrows as he struggles to maintain his focus on Mishima's prose amidst the melee of his subordinates' argument.</p><p>"I insist as a dutiful pupil of Tsukishima-sama that you will stand down!" Hotoro declares, slapping the table.</p><p>Tsukishima nonchalantly stabs his fork down into Hotoro's palm, pinning it to the table. The entire hall falls into hushed silence, only Hotoro's howls of pain audible as all eyes turn to Tsukishima.</p><p>"You broke my concentration, Hotoro," Tsukishima says with a voice like oil seeping over ice. He snaps his book shut and casts a withering glare to the chastened Moe. "None of you will take any action until I say so, understand? Now, enjoy your dinner."</p><hr/><p><strong>XCUTION HEADQUARTERS</strong><br/><strong>INSIDE THE FISH TANK</strong><br/>Ichigo is on his knees, panting. His shirt is in tatters, blood seeping from the cuts along his arms and chest. His wounds are getting progressively more painful, the air creeping into his gashes and scalding them. Tatsuki stands several yards away, showing no sign of fatigue.</p><p>"We're done here, Ichigo," she sighs. "I kept telling you to harness more Reikyō and evolve your Fullbring, but clearly you weren't listening."</p><p>Ichigo struggles back up to his feet, reigniting his tsuba.</p><p>"I said you're done, Ichigo!" Tatsuki yells, impatient. "You're not fighting with a Shinigami body anymore! That's your human flesh and bone getting knocked around. You get that, right? If I keep hitting you, you could die!"</p><p>"I'm not stopping, Tatsuki," Ichigo huffs. "I'm not stopping until you tell me!"</p><p>He unleashes another Getsuga Tenshō. Tatsuki leaps forward in a spring of Bringer-Light, veering beside the projectile and punching it down with a blast of Jinkaze. The Getsuga smashes into the shoal, whirring around and kicking up pebbles before dissipating meekly.</p><p>"Tell you what?" Tatsuki asks impatiently.</p><p>"Why you keep looking at me with so much hate in your eyes," Ichigo pants, nearly buckling over from exhaustion. "We're friends, Tatsuki," he says softly. "You were my first friend."</p><p>Tatsuki is taken aback, her eyes widening with surprise. Ichigo casts his forlorn gaze down at his own reflection in the water.</p><p>"There was a time when you understood me better than anybody, and I understood you," he continues. "I know… that it's my fault. I hid things from you. I hid everything. I thought I was protecting you, but at some point I lost sight of what was protection and what was just a lie."</p><p>"I'm not angry at you for lying to me, Ichigo," Tatsuki says hoarsely, gazing at him with wet eyes. "I understand why you did what you did."</p><p>Ichigo looks up to meet her stare, confused.</p><p>"These last couple of months have given me perspective," Tatsuki continues. "I learned what it means to be powerful, and what that means for my friends. I realized that I couldn't tell the others because it'd only make them feel useless. I know that's what you were shielding me from, Ichigo."</p><p>"Wait… so you're not angry at me?" Ichigo asks.</p><p>"No, I am angry at you!" Tatsuki retorts irately. "Just not about that. I'm angry on behalf of Orihime."</p><p>"What?!" Ichigo exclaims, completely perplexed. "What the hell are you talking about?!"</p><p>"You're my first friend, too," Tatsuki continues, her voice flinty. "But Orihime is my best friend. She's a good-hearted person. The best one I know. And it makes me very, very angry to see you using her."</p><p>"I'm using her?" Ichigo repeats, indignant. "How is our relationship your business?!"</p><p>Riruka peeks into the fish tank, her nose nearly pressing against the glass. "Dang, this has gotten juicy," she murmurs.</p><p>"Have you taken a look at yourself in the past two years, Ichigo?!" Tatsuki roars. "You've been a shell of the person you were! Moping around, feeling sorry for yourself. And for what? Because you're not special anymore? Poor Ichigo, just an ordinary person like the rest of us! So you humor Orihime's infatuation with you just to give yourself something to do?"</p><p>"It's not like that," Ichigo says softly.</p><p>"It looks a whole lot like that," Tatsuki says. "She needs you to open up to her, not just stand around holding her purse. Do you know she blames herself for the shitty mood you're in all the time? She's head over heels for you, but you can't summon any <em>enthusiasm</em> while pretending to be her boyfriend? What kind of a man just soaks up all that boundless love when he has no intention of giving it back?!"</p><p>"I want to, but I don't know how!" Ichigo shouts.</p><p>"You don't know how?!" Tatsuki fires back in exasperation. "How could it be so difficult to love Orihime of all people?!"</p><p>"Because I'm terrified of letting her down!" Ichigo cries out.</p><p>Tatsuki halts, shocked as she sees tears in Ichigo's eyes. He wipes a sleep across his nose, struggling to compose himself.</p><p>"I let her down the night I met her," he confesses. "I was the one who answered the door. Her brother died in our clinic, and I couldn't do anything to save him."</p><p>"You were just a kid, Ichigo," Tatsuki counters gently.</p><p>"I promised her that night that I'd always protect her," Ichigo continues, a tear streaming down his cheek. "If I'm not strong enough to do that… then I'm failing her. That's all I can think about whenever I see her. That's why… that's why I need to get stronger!"</p><p>Tatsuki doesn't know what to say, so she just smiles. She understands, now.</p><p>Riruka watches the conversation unfold from above, eyebrows raised.</p><p>"Hey, these two are having a real moment down there," she calls back to Ginjō.</p><p>"It should do the trick," Ginjō concludes.</p><p>Suddenly, Ichigo's Shinigami badge erupts with black flame. He stumbles back, startled. The heat doesn't hurt, but it's spreading like wildfire. <em>What the hell is happening?</em> he wonders, feeling something surging through him and pouring into the pendant. <em>Is this Reikyō?</em></p><p>"Ichigo!" Tatsuki cries out. "Focus it!"</p><p>Ichigo braces himself, locking his knees. He feels something crystallize, and the flame explodes into a torrent of energy. Tatsuki watches the fireball with trepidation. The flame contracts to reveal Ichigo frocked in scribbling plumes of black. It looks like an amorphous replica of his Shinigami uniform. He tries to maintain the armor, but his strength gives out. The black disperses, Ichigo falling forward. Tatsuki Bringer-Lights forward and catches him.</p><p>"We've officially entered Phase Two," Riruka remarks, nudging Chad chummily. He gazes down at his miniaturized friends with a smile.</p><p>"So… I guess you won that round?" Ichigo whispers to Tatsuki, struggling to stay conscious.</p><p>"Don't worry about it," Tatsuki says reassuringly, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "It's not the first time I've kicked your ass."</p><hr/><p>Tsukishima walks down an alleyway, stopping before a residential building. He fishes out a key and slots it into the doorlock, entering into a quaint apartment. There is a bowl of soba noodles on the kitchen table.</p><p>"Shūkurō?" a voice calls out from the other room. A kindly, middle-aged woman enters into the kitchen, smiling at him. "I just set down your dinner, it should still be warm."</p><p>"Oh, mother," Tsukishima smiles back. "You spoil me."</p><hr/><p><strong>SOUL SOCIETY - THE NEXT MORNING</strong><br/><strong>SEIDAHATSUMEI: THE TSUNAYASHIRO MANOR</strong><br/>Hisagi, Komamura, and Kensei stand before the imposing gates of the Tsunayashiro ancestral home, Seidahatsumei. Ensconced within a lush forest, the manor is barely visible behind the brush. Hisagi looks on with overwhelmed awe at the fringes of the castle that he can make out – he's never dared to dream of entering such an opulent corner of Soul Society before.</p><p>A masked attendant approaches the gate, studying the trio through the bars.</p><p>"State your business."</p><p>"Maybe don't be so brusk before knowing who you're talking to," Kensei grits, crossing his arms reproachfully. "We're captains of the Gotei 13."</p><p>"And what importance does your rank carry within the blessed confines of the Tsunayashiro domain?" the masked attendant snipes back saucily.</p><p>Kensei's temple is ready to burst with indignation, but Komamura places a reassuring paw on his shoulder.</p><p>"I am Captain Komamura Sajin of the Seventh Division," the wolf declares. "Beside me are Captain Muguruma Kensei and Lieutenant Hisagi Shūhei of the Ninth Division. The Tenrai-chō granted my request to bless us with his audience today."</p><p>The attendant glowers at Komamura for a beat, then nods. He ceremoniously claps his hands together, the gates parting in response. The attendant turns, knuckles pressed together behind his back, and trudges up towards the forest.</p><p>"Follow me."</p><p>Hisagi, Kensei, and Komamura follow in the masked man's wake. Kensei scans the sprawling 100 acres of land encompassing the estate, noting the babbling brooks and dense swath of trees.</p><p>"So this was your best lead?" the Ninth Division captain irritably asks his subordinate. "A friggin' Tenrai-chō? Why couldn't you question some more Rukongai peasants before consulting with the peak of royalty, see where that got you?"</p><p>"There is someone in particular I wish I could question," Hisagi reflects, his mind trailing to the endless shadows residing within the lowest level of the Central Great Underground Prison.</p><p>"Forget it!" Kensei hisses back, knowing exactly who Hisagi is referring to. "Aizen's completely off-limits. He's gonna rot in the Mugen without seeing another face for all eternity, got it? Sheesh, if that's who you were aiming for, then I guess a Tenrai-chō is settling."</p><p>"Please keep your voices down," Komamura suggests, his eyes fixed on the attendant leading them. "It is considered blasphemous to disturb a Shisonka Manor with shouting."</p><p>Kensei frowns in agitation while Hisagi blushes. They press on through the forest in silence until they come upon Seidahatsumi in full view. It is an enormous hirayamjiro castle, looming 12 stories tall with a blood-red facing and lavender-colored roofing. A trio of guards await on the staircase leading up to the castle entrance..</p><p>Hisagi's eyes widen as he regards the three warriors: they are not just any ordinary Shinigami. They loom large over the steps, each clad in intricate samurai armor, faces shielded by masks. Dense Reiatsu emanates from them.</p><p>The lithest and shortest among the trio is bedecked in an emerald green cuirass, the cuisse beneath his plating a deep navy. The front crest sprouting from his Kabuto helmet forks up in the shape of a beetle's antennae, the blue mempo mask concealing his face contorted into a fanged grin. This warrior's name is Sobura Kisada.</p><p>To his right stands a muscled guard clad in a canary-yellow cuirass, the complementing black cuisse giving him the appearance of a yellow jacket. The front crest of his helm is shaped like the arching horns of a giant sable antelope. His face is plated with a smoky, orion gray mask that is twisted into a weeping expression of despair. His name is Baiyori Magonyo.</p><p>Hisagi's gaze is drawn to the towering guard who stands several steps below Kisada and Magonyo, his gravitas unmistakably distinguishing him as their leader. The hulking samurai is clad in wine-colored spaulders, his cuirass coal gray and cuisse jet-black. Ram horns jut forth from his helmet, his piercing yellow eyes gleaming through a black faceplate and a bright red veil draped around his jaw.</p><p>Hisagi gasps when he recognizes the warrior's suit of armor: it bears an uncanny resemblance to <strong>Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō</strong>, the gigantic manifestation of Komamura's Bankai.</p><p>"They are the <strong>Shikōtai</strong> – elite bodyguards assigned to each Shisonka House's Tenrai-chō," Komamura murmurs to Hisagi. "Only exceptional prodigies of the Shin'ō Academy are chosen for this task, their strength comparable to that of a Gotei captain. Each Tenrai-chō is traditionally accompanied by one Shikōtai, but Tokinada was granted three for extra protection after the attempt on his life."</p><p>Hisagi remembers that bloody bit of history. Fourteen years ago, the entirety of the Tsunayashiro family was assassinated in a coordinated ambush. Children were among the slain. Tokinada was the sole survivor, stabbed by an attacker before his guard warded them off. The wound was severe, but he recovered – his kin were not so fortunate. As far as Hisagi knew, Soul Society never apprehended those responsible. At least, Captain Yamamoto and Central 46 never disclosed whether the unidentified assassins were brought to justice. <em>Maybe Aizen had a hand in that, too</em>, Hisagi wonders.</p><p>Komamura steps forward to the foot of the staircase and gazes up at the guards, regarding them with familiarity.</p><p>"Captain Komamura," the Shikōtai leader intones through his veil, his guttural voice inflected with surprising warmth as he addresses Sajin.</p><p>Komamura stares up at him for beat, then bows his head in respect.</p><p>"Shikōtai Komamura," the wolf responds reverently.</p><p><em>Shikōtai Komamura?!</em> Hisagi looks up surprisedly at the head bodyguard. <em>Is he...?</em></p><p>"Both you and Captain Muguruma must surrender your Zanpakutō before entering," the hulking bodyguard discloses. "It is a security measure that the Tenrai-chō insists upon."</p><p>Kensei huffs but complies, irritably retrieving the sheathed Tachikaze from his sash. He nudges Hisagi, grumbling "You too, Shūhei."</p><p>"The Tenrai-chō has requested that Lieutenant Hisagi keep his weapon," the Shikōtai leader clarifies.</p><p>Kensei frowns, casting Hisagi a quizzical look. He and Komamura stride up to the Shikōtai leader, offering their sheathed Zanpakutō. Kisada and Magonyo descend down the steps, accepting the swords.</p><p>"They will be returned to you after your business with the Tenrai-chō has concluded," Magonyo assures them.</p><p>"Better be without a scratch," Kensei grumbles.</p><p>"That depends on how well it goes for you with the Tenrai-chō," Kisada snickers with a reedy wheeze beneath his helm.</p><p>Kensei shoots the Shikōtai guard a venomous look, feeling disrespected. The smug bastard's grinning mask even looks like it's mocking him.</p><p>Hisagi, Sajin, and Kensei follow the guards up the steps and enter inside of Seidahatsumi. Hisagi's nose pleasantly singes as a heavy waft of incense sweeps past him. The interior of the castle is just as opulent as its exterior, the jade walls engraved with spectacular artwork and rouge tapestries emblazoned with the history of Soul Society draped across every pillar. Kisada and Magonyo break off from the group in opposite directions as they come upon a forking hallway, their leader continuing to lead the visitors. They come upon the master hall, the Shikōtai leader parting the curtains to reveal a vast, cypress chamber.</p><p>Splayed atop a luxurious cushion is Tokinada Tsunayashiro, puffing away at a jade pipe. The smell reaches Sajin's nostrils. He identifies the scent as Honeuta, a very potent and very illegal opiate in Soul Society. Shinigami officers caught with the substance are dishonorably discharged and exiled into the Rukongai as punishment. The Tenrai-chō sits before a low table, two bells situated atop it. One bell is distinguished by a white tassel, the other by a red tassel. Sitting in the corner of the chamber is a dark-haired man wearing an ornate hat, silently writing on a scroll.</p><p>Tokinada exhales two thick jets of smoke through his nostrils, casting a glassy gaze at his guests.</p><p>"Ah, Komamura Sajin," the Tenrai-chō grins, vapor seeping out from between his teeth. "I almost didn't recognize you without your bucket. You didn't think to conceal that snout before presenting yourself to me?"</p><p>Sajin respectfully bows before the royal. Hisagi and Kensei, despite bristling at the insult thrown at their peer, follow suit.</p><p>"I no longer hide myself from my comrades, Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō," Sajin explains.</p><p>"I see," Tokinada replies with a hint of displeasure. "What a proud dog you are. How nice to see a captain of the Gotei unafraid to show their face after such spectacular failure."</p><p>"What failure would that be?" Kensei asks irritably.</p><p>"Why, requiring the assistance of a mortal brat to defeat the traitors in your midst!" Tokinada exclaims with gleeful derision. "Quite a black mark on Shigekuni's record of leadership. I sought his dismissal as Captain-Commander, but alas, my peers continue to make excuses for his incompetence."</p><p>Tokinada takes another greedy suckle at his pipe, his eyes widening with delight as he sizes Kensei up.</p><p>"It's been a very long time since I've last seen you, Muguruma Kensei," the Tenrai-chō remarks between puffs of Honeuta. "I was disturbed to hear that you and your 'Visored' brethren were allowed back into the Gotei 13, but it makes sense…"</p><p>Tokinada casts his eyes back to Sajin, relishing his next words.</p><p>"… After all, Shigekuni has always possessed a soft heart for mongrels."</p><p>Kensei's face twists with rage, but he keeps his composure. Hisagi is completely flummoxed. <em>This man is royalty?</em> he thinks, incredulous.</p><p>"And you must be Hisagi Shūhei," Tokinada continues, scrutinizing the lieutenant. "I hear that it was you who wishes to speak with me? How curious…"</p><p>Hisagi clears his throat and steps forward, bowing to the nobleman. "I was hoping to interview you for my investigation into Tōsen Kaname's life, your majesty."</p><p>"Kaname, eh?" Tokinada muses, brushing back the taut braid hanging from his otherwise unkempt, clover hair. "How curious indeed, that you would want to dredge up memories of your traitorous captain. I would think you'd want your association with that seditious cripple to be forgotten."</p><p>Hisagi's fists clench as he bottles his anger, maintaining his stolid expression.</p><p>"Captain-Commander Yamamoto agreed that it would be fruitful to understand why he turned against Soul –"</p><p>"He did not just turn against Soul Society, but against his own god!" Tokinada interrupts, his tone more amused than righteous. "He and Aizen Sōsuke sought to assassinate Reiō, the creator of us all. As a direct emissary of our one true God, I take that very personally."</p><p>"Of course, your majesty," Hisagi continues nervously. "It's just –"</p><p>"Relax, Shūhei," Tokinada hand-waves the lieutenant, setting his pipe down. "I would be delighted to entertain your questions. Even as Tenrai-chō, you'd be surprised how infrequently my opinion is sought. But first I'd like something from you."</p><p>"From me?" Hisagi replies. "What would –"</p><p>"I am absolutely fascinated by Zanpakutō," Tokinada hisses, leaning forward conspiratorially. "I've never been allowed one, given my station. That is the one, cruel absence in my life. To see your soul reflected in a blade… exquisite. And I have heard that you have a most exquisite Shikai. Can you please demonstrate it for me?"</p><p>Hisagi's eyes widen. He's not sure whether this is some sort of trap.</p><p>"Oh, do not fret about my safety," Tokinada adds, motioning to the Shikōtai leader guarding the entrance. "Sugai will see to it if you make any unwarranted movements."</p><p>Hisagi looks to Sajin and Kensei. They both give him a nod. He sighs, then strides up to the platform across from Tokinada. Drawing forth his Zanpakutō, he takes a deep breath and the intones the release command.</p><p>"Reap, Kazeshini."</p><p>The katana separates into two Kurasigama blades, linked by a binding chain. He whips around his two scythes in balletic whirls, careful to keep their slicing trajectory contained within the parameters of the platform. It's like a dance. Tokinada breaks out into a delighted giggle as he observes the circular arcs of Hisagi's Shikai.</p><p>"How beautifully vicious!" the Tenrai-chō cackles, lifting up his pipe for another puff. "Is cutting all that your blades can do?"</p><p>"Yes," Hisagi answers, catching both rods and sealing them back into a katana. "That's all they can do."</p><p>"A blunt instrument, but highly effective for killing," Tokinada muses. "Perhaps we should trot out a body for you to cleave through?"</p><p>Hisagi, Kensei, and Komamura all give Tokinada apprehensive stares. The Tenrai-cho's lips curl into a grin.</p><p>"I am merely jesting, my boy," Tokinada clarifies. "Your Shikai is most impressive. Perhaps there is still hope for the Ninth Division. Now, you had some questions for me?"</p><p>Hisagi returns before the Tenrai-chō and kneels down. "I need to record everything that we discuss, if that is fine by –"</p><p>"That won't be necessary," Tokinada interrupts, motioning to the man writing in the corner. "Yamada Seinosuke over there has been dictating our every word."</p><p>"Seinosuke?" Kensei says, scrutinizing the man from afar. "I remember you. You served under Captain Unohana a century ago."</p><p>Seinosuke glances up from the parchment, dictating his own words as he speaks. "I have ascended to a higher station since then, as you can see."</p><p>"Seinosuke is my notary," Tokinada explains. "He is seeing to it that every syllable shared between us is preserved for posterity."</p><p>"But, Tenrai-chō, I have to submit a written report to Captain Ukitake," Hisagi politely pushes back.</p><p>"A copy of any relevant transcript will be shared with Jūshirō," Tokinada asserts impatiently. "Now pose your questions."</p><p>Hisagi hesitates, suddenly feeling ill at ease. A creeping terror washes over him. It's not just the Tenrai-chō's ill manner that has him unnerved – he can feel something looming directly behind. He casts his eyes back, seeing nothing. <em>Why does it feel like… someone is breathing down my neck?</em> he wonders, sweat beading down his brow. He looks to Sajin and Komamura, raw fear in his eyes. They give encouraging nods, prompting him to begin.</p><p>"I learned that your wife, Tsunayashiro Kakyō, was close with Tōsen –"</p><p>"Who told you that?" Tokinada interrupts, arching a brow.</p><p>"The woman who raised him," Hisagi answers.</p><p>Tokinada takes another suckle at his pipe, his dilated pupils narrowing as his glare grows stern.</p><p>"So you've come to interrogate me about my late wife's associations?" the Tenrai-chō simpers. "If she had any relations with that gimp, I was unaware. However, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that their paths had crossed. She always enjoyed adopting pets from the Rukongai. It was an eccentric hobby of hers."</p><p>"I'm sorry to hear that she died so prematurely, Tenrai-chō," Hisagi presses on, his jaw clenched tight.</p><p>"Yes, it was a pity," Tokinada muses, tapping out the Honeuta embers from his jade pipe. "She committed suicide. Regrettable, but perhaps inevitable, given her persistent melancholy. I concede that it did not reflect well on my charms as a husband."</p><p>"I was hoping to review her records, to see if there is any mention of Tōsen within them." Hisagi broaches. "Your House owns all recorded history about her life, correct?"</p><p>"Her records?" Tokinada replies bemusedly. "Seinosuke, didn't I have those destroyed?"</p><p>"Yes, Tenrai-chō," the notary confirms. "They were burned."</p><p>"You burned them?!" Hisagi shouts, unable to contain themself. "But they were the only remaining memory of her!"</p><p>Tokinada casts Hisagi a playful scowl, then looks to Sugai. Hisagi tenses as he notices the Shikōtai leader grasp the hilt of his Zanpakutō.</p><p>"The memory of her remains safe, Shūhei," the Tenrai-chō coos condescendingly, placing a hand over his heart. "It resides within me. That and the memory of all my slain family members, cruelly ripped from this world by seditious heathens. I have endured tragedy after tragedy, and yet I do not linger on the past. I suggest you do the same."</p><p>Hisagi watches as Tokinada packs a fresh batch of Honeuta into his pipe. The Tenrai-chō takes a lit incense stick and presses it into the bowl, gazing up at Hisagi as he sucks at the spout.</p><p>"Were those all of your questions?"</p><p>Hisagi, struggling to contain his anger, gives a grim nod.</p><p>"Very well," Tokinada concludes, reaching for the white-tasseled bell before him. He rings it. "Sugai will escort you out."</p><hr/><p>Hisagi, Kensei, and Sajin walk back towards the forest, Seidahatsumi looming behind them.</p><p>"What a fuckin' creep," Kensei mutters under his breath.</p><p>"Kensei, please don't," Sajin sighs, wary of the attendant leading them to the gates.</p><p>"I just call it as I see it," Kensei grits, cracking his knuckles to vent his agitation. "How you can be so submissive to that blowhard mystifies me."</p><p>Sajin halts, turning back to look upon the entrance of the manor. The Shikōtai leader named Sugai stands atop the steps, staring back and raising a hand farewell. Sajin reciprocates the gesture before turning away to rejoin his comrades.</p><p>"Captain Komamura, how do you know that man?" Hisagi asks.</p><p>"His name is Komamura Sugai," Sajin answers. "He is my father."</p><p> </p><p>
  
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. THE LOST AGENT: Book of the End</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ichigo gets crunked, Hisagi visits an island paradise, and Chad makes a friend.</p>
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  <b>THE WORLD OF THE LIVING - THE MORNING AFTER ICHIGO’S TRAINING WITH TATSUKI</b>
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  <span class="s1">Shūkurō Tsukishima leans back on the couch and sketches in his notebook, applying delicate contours with a pencil. He rounds out his doodle with two kind eyes.</span>
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  <span class="s1">“She’s very pretty,” his mother remarks, peeking over his shoulder while polishing a plate.</span>
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  <span class="s1">“Now, now, mother,” Tsukishima sighs while adding some shading to his illustration. “It’s isn’t polite to snoop.”</span>
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  <span class="s1">“Who is she?” his mother asks. “Have you made a lady friend, Shūkurō?”</span>
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  <span class="s1">“Oops,” Tsukishima smirks impishly. “I was planning on telling you.”</span>
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  <span class="s1">“Well, it’s about time you met a nice girl,” his mother says. “When will I meet her?”</span>
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  <span class="s1">“She’s currently out of town,” Tsukishima replies. </span>
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  <span class="s1">“Well, when she comes back, you’ll have to bring her home for dinner,” his mother smiles, returning to the kitchen. “I’m looking forward to meeting the young lady!”</span>
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  <span class="s1">Tsukishima nods, applying the final touches to his sketch of Orihime Inoue.</span>
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  <span class="s1">“You’re going to love her, mother.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b></span> <b>THIRTEENTH DIVISION BARRACKS<br/></b> <span class="s1">Jūshirō Ukitake sits crosslegged beneath a tree, serenely inhaling and exhaling. His illness has progressed since his injury during the White Invasion, but the fresh air has been good for him. He focuses on the rustling of leaves, listening to them crinkle as they sway in the breeze.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His breath catches in his throat and he begins to lightly cough, then breaks into a violent hacking. Rukia Kuchiki bounds over the hillside to meet him.</span>
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  <span class="s1">“Captain, are you alright?!” she cries out apprehensively, reaching her superior and kneeling down to inspect him.</span>
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  <span class="s1">“It’s okay, Rukia,” the captain wheezes, wiping black bile from his mouth with a sleeve. “I’m fine, thank you.”</span>
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  <span class="s1">Rukia looks worriedly at him. His coughing fits have become more frequent. <em>If it was worse than a passing cough, and I wasn’t already arriving, what would have happened to you? </em>she wonders.</span>
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  <span class="s1">“I promise you I’m okay, Rukia,” Ukitake insists, patting the ground beside him. “I summoned you for a reason. Please sit.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Rukia plunks down. She surveys the lush greenery, the crinkling leaves, and glances at her superior.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are we… meditating, Captain?” she asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ukitake shakes his head, looking at her with a smile.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“This was the spot,” he reflects. “The very spot where I told Kaien he was promoted to Lieutenant.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Rukia’s expression turns pensive. She nearly forgets to breathe while listening.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He initially turned it down,” Ukitake softly chuckles. “Said he had not yet earned the rank. Always so modest. He saw himself in you. I see it, too; you are so much alike. Compassionate, dutiful, and without ego. He would have been very proud today.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why today, Captain?” Rukia mumbles, her violet eyes glistening. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Because today, at this spot, I am offering you the position of Lieutenant,” Ukitake replies. “Unless you want to turn it down, too?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Rukia is speechless for a beat, then lunges forward to embrace Ukitake. The captain is startled at first, then smiles and pats her on the back. Remembering decorum, Rukia breaks from the hug and bolts up to give a formal bow.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It would be my honor, Captain!” she shouts. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>SIXTH DIVISION BARRACKS</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">Byakuya Kuchiki unhurriedly walks down a hallway, heading for a training session. He turns a corner and sees Rukia awaiting him. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Captain Ukitake made me his lieutenant,” Rukia blushes, glancing at her feet before summoning the guile to meet her brother’s gaze. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We were already informed of the decision yesterday,” Byakuya replies, his tone unreadable. “Congratulations.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He continues on his way, striding past Rukia. She hesitates, then calls after him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I was unseated until today,” she points out. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Byakuya halts his stride once more, glancing back at her placidly. He stares at her for a beat, then turns and continues on. They had never spoken before about his lobbying efforts to keep from being seated. Now that conversation is moot: her promotion wouldn’t have been possible without his express permission.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thank you, brother,” Rukia whispers.</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>XCUTION HEADQUARTERS (IN THE BACK OF THE VAN) - THAT NIGHT</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">“You two seem to be getting along better,” Jackie remarks while observing Ichigo and Tatsuki. “Hashed out your differences?”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re on the same page now, no need to make a thing of it,” Tatsuki says, nose upturned. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How lovely,” Jackie smiles, leaning back in her barstool. “I do love when hearts reunite. Bonds grow so cold with distance. Together, they radiate <em>heat</em>.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>Is Jackie hitting on me… or Tatsuki</em>? Ichigo wonders. <em>Or the both of us at the same time</em>? He doesn’t get to ponder long before Ginjō bursts through a door, followed by Riruka. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alright, on to business!” the XCution leader declares. “You made great progress last night, Ichigo. We’re right on schedule.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s a schedule?” Ichigo queries. “You didn’t mention that before.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s a lot I haven’t mentioned yet, like the favor we need from you,” Ginjō replies. “The reason why we wanted to cultivate your Fullbring in the first place? Well, now that we know you can even develop one, I figure it’s time to bring you into the loop. Do you want a drink, first?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you keep forgetting we’re only seventeen?” Tatsuki saucily retorts, arms crossed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hm?” Ginjō murmurs, genuinely taken aback. “I started throwing down when I was only fourteen. Anyways, here’s the deal: we got a heist coming up, and we need your assistance.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“A <em>heist</em>?” Ichigo repeats, incredulous. “I figured you guys for shady, but I didn’t know you were criminals.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s not like that, Ichigo,” Chad interjects from the couch. “You know Tatsuki and I wouldn’t throw in on our lot with hoodlums.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s right — your friends’ got taste,” Ginjō grins. “We’re not knocking over some bank. We’re stealing back what’s rightfully ours. Does the name Adoka Tozaki mean anything to you?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Never heard of him,” Ichigo shakes his head. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s an ‘businessman’ posted up in Naruki City,” Ginjō elaborates. “Runs a ‘cyber security’ firm, which means that city authorities really have no idea what he’s up to. His business is just a front for his real trade: he’s a high-end dealer in the black market for Fullbringer totems.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?!” Ichigo exclaims. “There’s a market for totems? How many Fullbringers are out there?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thousands,” Ginjō replies with a sigh, fingering the Saltire Cross necklaced around his throat. “We’re a hot commodity, you know. Our abilities are highly valued by governments, militias, narcotics traffickers. Anyone who needs good soldiers: the American NAVY Seals, Israeli Mossad, British MI6 –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hear, hear!” Jackie cheers before throwing back a shot. She gives Ichigo a wink. “I was in Her Majesty’s service for six years.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And you never let us forget it,” Riruka retorts, munching on a cupcake. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Fullbringers make for good muscle,” Ginjō continues. “In both high and low circles, there’s a hefty dollar value attached to our totems.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why?” Ichigo interjects. “I thought totems were unique to each Fullbringer?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re thinking too much like a Shinigami,” Ginjō replies. “Totems ain’t Zanpakutō. Even if their specific power is non-transferable, it’s still full of Reikyō that can be extracted. Talented Fullbringers have the ability to draw Reikyō from other sources to supplant their own strength. So, in this miserable world of ours, there are a lot of high-powered people whose agents hunt and kill Fullbringers so they can collect their totems and sell them to the highest bidder.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And this Tozaki is one of these dealers?” Ichigo asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Correct,” Ginjō says, an unbridled hatred burning in his eyes. “Tozaki is one of the biggest players in the market. What’s more, his collection includes totems from our friends.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo is taken aback. He scans the room, studying each XCution member. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>Each of you… lost someone?</em> he realizes. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s what I meant when I said we are hunted, Ichigo,” Ginjō laments. “We’ve each lost someone close to us because of Adoka’s greed. That bastard keeps their totems like trophies. Making things right is what brought us together: we wanna take back what belonged to our fallen comrades, before he sells them off. Now, if you wanna –”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m in, Ginjō,” Ichigo interrupts, his eyes burning with determination. “Whatever you need.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p4"><b>URAHARA SHOP - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> <span class="s1">“Eh?” Urahara calls from his room, drowsily picking up his hat. “Who is it?”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s Karin!” Jinta yells from the register. The red-haired tyke turns his attention back to the Kurosaki sister. “How’s Yuzu doing?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Just fine without you,” Karin retorts. “Move on, little man.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jinta turns scarlet and stomps back into the shop’s private quarters, Urahara emerging in his place at the register. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ah, Karin,” the shopkeeper grins, hat in hand. “What brings you –”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Cut the crap, Urahara,” Karin interrupts. “I know Ichigo came here the other night. Cat’s out of the bag.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“… Yeah,” Urahara sighs, running a hand through his tousled hair before donning his cap. “He gave me a piece of his mind.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Got regrets?” Karin asks with edge. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Regrets about helping you out?” Urahara replies. “Nah. Do I have regrets about how I’ve generally treated your brother? Well… want some tea?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So long as it’s not caffeinated,” Karin says coolly. “It’s a school night.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Urahara pours herbal tea into two mugs for himself and Karin. He takes his cup and sips.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So what brings you in tonight?” he asks. “Wanna strategize an apology gift for Ichigo?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Karin replies. “I’m not worried about his approval. I’m worried about him, generally.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How come?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You don’t already know?” Karin presses, slightly annoyed. “I thought you kept tabs on everyone and everything?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Y’know… I spent a century trying to foil Aizen,” Urahara muses. “Now that he’s been dealt with… I guess I’ve checked out a little. Can you blame me?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, Ichigo’s been acting weird,” Karin continues. “He keeps disappearing at night and has that same secretive vibe he had two years ago. I think he’s hiding something.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Interesting,” Urahara murmurs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I was wondering… if you still think it’s impossible for him to regain his Shinigami powers?” Karin asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I never said it was <em>impossible</em>,” Urahara replies. “I said it wasn’t in the cards.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b> <em>FLASHBACK<br/></em></b></span> <b>KARAKURA TOWN – 12 MONTHS AGO<br/></b><span class="s1">It has been only five months since the White Invasion and international interest in Karakura Town has yet to subside. Students hold books over their faces as they exit from Karakura High School, a litany of international television crews shouting questions at them.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you have a response to accusations that the Japanese government was conducting experiments on your town?” a journalist asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Was it alien life trying to make contact?” another queries.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are the mole men’s demands?!” Baba Taguchi yells over the din. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Karin and Yuzu run hand-in-hand past the throng of press, making their way out onto the street. They giggle over the ridiculousness of it all. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Mole men?” Yuzu laughs. “That’s a new one.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Karin’s chuckle trails off when she sees a girl running down the adjacent street. She recognizes her: it is the ghost of the slain girl she met in the aftermath of the White Invasion. Karin breaks from Yuzu to pursue the Plus.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Karin, where are you going?” Yuzu asks meekly, watching her sister chasing after nothing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Karin dashes across the sidewalk, spotting the Plus darting into an alleyway.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wait!” Karin calls after her. “Come back!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She turns a corner and phases through Zennosuke Kurumadani. The Shinigami patrolman does a double-take, recognizing her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You again?” Zennosuke grumbles. “What are you doing chasing after a Plus, <em>girl</em>?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why is she still hanging around, <em>Shinigami</em>?” Karin barks back. “She’s gonna Hollowfy if she stays in the World of the Living much longer.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How do you… ?” Zennosuke stammers, shocked by the human girl’s savvy about spirits. “Who told you about that?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My brother’s former mod soul is a fountain of knowledge,” Karin answers, arms crossed. “Why have <em>you</em> failed in your duty to patrol Karakura Town? That poor girl has been running around for months now, and you still haven’t sent her to Soul Society?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“She’s scrappy!” Zennosuke protests. “Besides, I’m busy spending most of my time looking after your brother. That’s become a full-time job, you know!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?” Karin whispers, taken aback. “Why are you busy looking after Ichigo?”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>KUROSAKI HOUSEHOLD</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">“Bon a petit!” Orihime Inoue announces, laying down a pot of stew before the Kurosaki family. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can’t wait!” Isshin grins, rubbing his hands together. “Smells… interesting, Inoue!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Just keep an open mind,” Ichigo warns his siblings with a nervous blush. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Kurosakis ladle the stew into their bowls, each taking a slurp and turning green from the bizarre flavoring. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you think?” Orihime asks sunnily.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s… um, inventive!” Isshin answers, his mouth puckered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Honestly, it tastes like gar– <em>ouch1</em>“ Karin begins, only to feel her father kick her beneath the table. “… I mean it takes like gourmet, Inoue.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yay!” Orihime beams, waving her hands in excitement. “I’ve gotten mixed feedback about my cooking before, so I’m thrilled you like it! The first of many meals.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yaaaaaay…?” Yuzu chimes in halfheartedly, struggling to keep the stew down. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What about Hollows, Karin-chan?” Orihime asks while polishing a plate, realizing that Ichigo’s little sister only volunteered to help with dishes so she could question her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The Shinigami patrolman told me that Hollows are constantly tailing Ichigo,” Karin whispers, careful not to be overheard by her family from the other room. “Is that true?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um…” Orihime stalls, reticent to answer. “Well… they do seem to like him.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Orihime, level with me,” Karin mutters. “Is my brother in danger?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“… Hollows follow us around, yes,” Orihime sighs, dipping a bowl into the frothy sink. “Ishida-kun and Zennosuke are always there to deal with them, though. Ichigo doesn’t know.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He doesn’t know?!” Karin hisses incredulously.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Please don’t tell him,” Orihime pleads, her voice growing sombre. “Your brother is still adjusting to a life without Shinigami powers. If you tell him that others are protecting him… it’d only make him sad.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ah, Miss Kurosaki!” Urahara greets Karin with singsong cheerfulness. “Will it be the usual today? I can have Jinta collect the precise groceries you need –”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We need to talk,” Karin interrupts, pointing to the back door. “In your basement.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well… that is a conundrum,” Urahara whistles, sitting back in his lawn chair amid the rocky wasteland of his shop’s cellar. “It stands to reason that Hollows would target Ichigo. Aizen was like a deity to them.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He can’t just walk around defenseless,” Karin asserts, elbows akimbo. “Can you restore his Shinigami powers?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“… No,” Urahara answers. “That isn’t in the cards.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, then how about making <em>me</em> a Shingami?” Karin suggests. “I’m his sister. I should be as good a candidate as any.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Excuse me?” Urahara bolts upright in his seat. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Not a terrible idea,” Yoruichi Shihōin remarks from an adjacent boulder, sizing Karin up with a smile. “They’re both children of Shiba Isshin.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Shiba?” Karin repeats, confused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s a long story,” Yoruichi shrugs. “One I trust your father will fill you in on when the time is right.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’ll get back to that…” Karin frowns. “Can you make me a Shinigami just like you did for Ichigo, Urahara?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“A human can only gain Shinigami powers when a Shinigami shares a portion of their own Reiryoku with them – a gift that can be rescinded anytime.” Urahara explains.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Is that what Rukia did for Ichigo?” Karin asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes, but your brother lost that power,” Urahara continues. “I was only able to awaken his innate Shinigami abilities because he wasn’t fully human to begin with…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>We glimpse back to when Ichigo underwent the ‘Shattered Shaft’ ritual in order to storm Soul Society and rescue Rukia from execution. Tessai cuts Ichigo’s Chain of Fate with an axe, and the Strawberry struggles within the pit as his chain gradually deteriorates. Before he fully Hollowfies, Zangetsu contacts him and awakens his Zanpakutō.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“A Shinigami attains a Zanpakutō by imprinting themselves on an Asauchi,” Urahara continues. “Your brother couldn’t imprint on an Asauchi as a human, but I had a hunch that he had a dormant Zanpakutō spirit that would gift him with one of their own making. So I baited the spirit to show itself by putting Ichigo through accelerated Hollowfication –”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You did <em>what</em>?!” Karin shouts. “The hell is wrong with you?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Urahara believed that Ichigo’s innate Zanpakutō spirit would intercede and manifest his inherited Shinigami powers before he transformed into a Hollow,” Yoruichi interjects. “It was the only way. But even with that in mind, cutting his Chain of Fate was reckless.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It was a gamble, but it worked out,” Urahara concludes with a bashful grin, fanning himself. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well then gamble on me!” Karin pleads. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Urahara snaps his fan shut, scrutinizing her for a beat. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re sure that’s what you want?” he asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Karin nods.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Karin’s Plus form stares bemusedly at her lifeless physical body. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So… are you gonna cut it?” she asks, flicking a finger over her Chain of Fate.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No, that won’t be necessary,” Urahara replies, approaching with a glowing prong. “I learned a lot from your brother’s ritual, and concluded that your Zanpakutō spirit only needs to <em>believe </em>you are in danger of Hollowfying to spring into action. I’ve developed this nifty tool here to simulate the sensation. Now… brace yourself.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Urahara presses the prong to Karin’s Chain of Fate – it crackles like a cattle prod. Karin goes into shock, a needling tremor coursing throughout her spiritual body. It feels like electrocution. A low, gravelly voice echoes in her mind: <em>Say my name!</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<b>Shingetsu</b>!” Karin cries out. She erupts in a burst of unleashed Reiatsu. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Karin is clad in Shihakushō, her Zanpakutō drawn. She stands before the Plus girl, having cornered her. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not ready to go,” the Plus begs, on her knees. “I still need to say goodbye to my Mom.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“She can’t hear you, no matter how many times you try,” Karin sighs. “If you continue lingering here for her, you will become a monster – and possibly hurt her. Is that what you want?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Plus’ eyes widen, a tear streaking down her cheek. She shakes her head.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you want to tell her?” Karin asks. “I’ll pass along the message. I swear it.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Please tell her… I’m sorry for yelling at her that morning,” the Plus sniffles. “Tell her… that she was the best mommy, and that I love her.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I will,” Karin smiles. “You ready?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Plus nods. Karin presses her Zanpakutō forward and watches the girl ebb away, passing on to Soul Society. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b> <em>THE PRESENT<br/></em></b></span> <b>URAHARA SHOP<br/></b> <span class="s1">“What do you mean it’s not in the cards?” Karin asks Urahara. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I already told you: a human can only attain Shinigami powers when a Shinigami lends them their Reiryoku,” Urahara replies evasively.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But we’re not strictly human, right?” Karin presses. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s true,” Urahara sighs. “In the event that a Shinigami loses all connection to their spiritual ability, there is one way to resuscitate that bond: to infuse them with an enormous amount of Reiryoku. It can’t be borrowed – it must be fully given away.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That doesn’t sound so hard,” Karin bristles. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It would require donations from all of Soul Society’s strongest warriors to be effective,” Urahara concludes. “That’s already been shot down.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b> <em>FLASHBACK - 17 MONTHS AGO<br/></em></b></span> <b> <em>SOUL SOCIETY - FIRST DIVISION BARRACKS<br/></em> </b> <span class="s1">Captain-Commander Shigekuni Yamamoto stands in his office, gazing out in contemplation at the Seireitei.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not sure you heard me clearly,” Urahara presses. “It would only require a small contribution from each –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My answer is no, Kisuke,” Yamamoto says flatly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So… you aren’t rejecting my offer because of feasibility, but on the merits?” Urahara asks, eyes narrowed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“In light of the boy’s lineage… it would be best that he does <em>not</em> regain his Shinigami powers,” Yamamoto replies somberly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“His lineage?” Urahara grits. “Aizen would have reached the Royal Realm if it weren’t for him.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I will entertain no further entreaties on the matter,” Yamamoto concludes. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b> <em>THE PRESENT<br/></em></b></span> <b>URAHARA SHOP<br/></b> <span class="s1">“So Soul Society won’t pitch in?” Karin frowns. “What else can get the job done?”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Without multiple donors, Ichigo would need a Captain-level Shinigami to give him <em>all</em> of their Reiryoku,” Urahara answers. “They’d be trading away their own power to reawaken his, a one to one swap. Like I said, it’s not in the cards.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>- XCUTION HEADQUARTERS (IN THE BACK OF THE VAN) -<br/></b></span> <b>OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> <span class="s1">“So how do we get the totems back from this Adoka Tozaki?” Ichigo asks.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh my,” Jackie coos. “I knew I had a good feeling about you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Adoka’s gonna be a tough nut to crack,” Ginjō explains, sitting back on a leather sofa. “He keeps his totems in his office, which is a friggin’ fortress. We already cased his mansion in the countryside…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>We glimpse the XCution van pulling up beside a thicketed area, shielded by trees as the crew surveys Adoka’s mansion, which resides secluded within a forest. It’s a lavish six-story structure with hot pink roofing.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>“He actually has a pretty chic sense of style,” Tatsuki grumbles begrudgingly while spying on the manor through binoculars. “It’s kinda cute…”</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“… And Riruka infiltrated the place, posing as a maid,” Ginjō continues. “She was able to smuggle blueprints of Adoka’s office building.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo looks at Riruka. With her everyday outfit, it’s not a stretch to imagine her as a credible housekeeper. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>We glimpse Tozaki Adoka in his manor, lighting up a cigar and sitting back in his armchair. Portly and sullen, he wears what remains of his balding, clover hair slicked back. His stogie wags between his swollen lips as he puffs away, plucking up a whiskey tumbler and shaking it.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>“Hey, sweet-cheeks – top me off,” he orders.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>Riruka, supremely annoyed, plays along and sashays over to the industrialist, plucking up his glass and managing a thin smile before stomping off to pour him another.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>Tatsuki witnesses the interaction, her binoculars peering through the mansion’s wide windows</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>“I’m surprised Riruka didn’t smash the glass over his head,” she mumbles. “U-uuuuu-gly dude, too.”</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks to the schematics, we understand the layout of Adoka’s lair,” Ginjō explains. “His cyber plant is located in Naruki City, and it has more security measures than a virgin’s garters.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Lewd!” Riruka wretches in disgust.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But very illustrative,” Jackie purrs. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Adoka hunts Fullbringers, so he expects Fullbringers to hunt him in return,” Ginjō continues. “He keeps his totems inside a near-impenetrable vault that only he can open. And he only opens it for interested buyers. So we impersonated one of the most notorious Fullbringers in the black market: codename <b>Dākumūn</b>.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Whose that?” Ichigo asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Bad news,” Jackie sighs. “An exceptionally powerful Fullbringer who specializes in collecting heads, selling his talents to the highest bidder. He’s managed to completely hide his identity; the man is practically a ghost.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Invoking the name got a meeting with Adoka, but there’s a catch,” Ginjō adds. “The only thing that can identify Dākumūn is his off-the-charts power. We’ve learned that Adoka plans on verifying the buyer’s Reikyõ output with a meter.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He… can measure Reikyō?” Ichigo mumbles surprisedly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well yeah, it’s not entirely unlike measuring radiation,” Ginjō replies. “You can assess anything if you know what you’re looking for. The problem is that none of us are gonna hit the number needed to convince Adoka he’s doing business with the real deal. We’re betting that you’ll have the output we need.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wait…” Ichigo catches on. “You want me to impersonate an international assassin?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Dākumūn’s only been active for a couple of years, and nobody knows how old he is,” Riruka notes. “Max out that meter, and Adoka will believe that even a teenager like you could be the genuine article, doll-face.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo breaks into a sweat as he contemplates the amount of deception he’s being asked to pull off. <em>I’ve never acted before in my life</em>, he thinks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And that’s just step one,” Ginjō continues. “The bastard also uses a failsafe security system that locks down the building like a prison. We’ll need to de-active it if we want to make a clean getaway.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s where we come in,” Jackie grins. “Got it all figured out. The only missing piece is you, Ichigo. We need you to become a <em>powerful</em> stud, darling.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The meeting is scheduled to occur in four days’ time,” Giriko chimes in. “You have until then to harness your Fullbring and cultivate enough Reikyō to be persuasive.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If you wanna walk away, you’re free to do so,” Ginjō concludes, observing Ichigo’s nervous expression.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo gulps. He looks to Chad, Tatsuki, and back to Ginjō.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’ve brought me this far,” he concludes. “Let’s go all the way.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p4"><b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> <b>THIRTEENTH DIVISION BARRACKS<br/></b> <span class="s1">“Cheers!” Renji Abarai grins, clinking glasses of sake with Rukia, Rangiku Matsumoto, Tetsuzaemon Iba, Isane Kotetsu, and Marechiyo Ōmaeda. They all throw back their shots and gasp from the sting in their throats. Unlike the Visoreds, this crew hasn’t tasted proper sake from the World of the Living, and the Soul Society variety gets them liquored up swiftly.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ōmaeda coughs and pounds his chest, savoring the burn. Isane involuntarily burps, drawing eyes from around the table. She blushes scarlet, then gives a demure wave of her hand – “‘Scuse me.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The party erupts with laughter, Rukia the most effusive of them all. She’s in a very good mood. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Another toast!” Ōmaeda roars, plucking up the bottle and pouring another round. “To Rukia, for rising in the ranks. Well deserved!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I already said that,” Renji protests with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But not with the proper bravado!” Ōmaeda cries out with a guttural flourish, eyes wide as he cackles. “Cheers!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They throw back another shot, Isane nearly going cross-eyed as the booze hits her hard. Rukia smiles warmly at her new peers, feeling profound contentment. Rangiku had cajoled her into inviting fellow lieutenants over to celebrate, and she’s glad she acquiesced. Ukitake, thoughtful as ever, granted her full permission to cut loose for the evening. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The group falls silent when the quarter’s shōji slides open. Hiyori Sarugaki and Lisa Yadōmaru peek their heads through the gap.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We heard you were celebrating,” Lisa says, staring everyone down.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You wanna join in?” Rangiku asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh yes,” Hiyori replies eagerly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re already low on sake,” Tetsuzaemon points out. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We accounted for that,” Lisa adds. She and Hiyori brandish four bottles they had smuggled from their barracks’ cellars.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Then come on in!” Rangiku squeals excitedly. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hiyori and Lisa scooch seamlessly into the group, plunking down their bottles and popping one open. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So, you went from being Soul Society’s Enemy Number One to a lieutenant in the space of two years?” Hiyori remarks to Rukia, pouring her a glass. “Ain’t that some whiplash.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The other lieutenants blush at Hiyori’s bluntness. Rukia’s execution and the parts they each played in it are still fresh in their memory.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Aizen deceived Soul Society,” Rukia muses, taking a light sip of her drink. “They only condemned me because of his machinations.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Woof</em>, been there,” Lisa remarks before taking a swig, immediately pouring herself another full glass.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, I hold no ill will toward my comrades,” Rukia concludes, casting Renji a warm look. He smiles back, clinking glasses with her. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The shõji parts once again, Izuru Kira peering in. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sorry we’re late,” the Third Division Lieutenant announces. “Shūhei needed some convincing.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He enters, followed by a sullen Shūhei Hisagi. The group regards the Ninth Division Lieutenant with fascination, aware of his latest extracurricular activities. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How about you sit <em>here</em>,” Kira suggests, plunking Hisagi right down beside Rangiku. Hisagi blushes: it’s an ill-kept secret that he has a crush on her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Down in the dumps, Shūhei?” Tetsuzaemon asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s dispirited today,” Kira answers. “His detective work hit a wall.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh yes, your investigation?” Rangiku chimes in, nudging Hisagi. “It’s been the talk of the Gotei. What happened?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi looks around at the curious stares from his peers. He sighs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I had a lead, but it went cold thanks to the Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tokinada?” Hiyori grumbles. “Kensei said he’s a total prick.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Saraguki-san!” Isane cries out, aghast. “You’re talking about the leader of a Shisonka House.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Doesn’t mean he’s not a prick,” Lisa pushes back, pouring herself yet another drink.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“His behavior is… not becoming of a Tenrai-chō,” Hisagi admits. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Did he make you perform your Shikai?” Kira asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He did, yeah,” Hisagi replies, taken aback. “How’d you know?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He made me do the same thing,” Kira admits. “My family’s a vassal of Tsunayashiro House. He requested I visit him after I was promoted to lieutenant. It was… well, he is difficult company.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s popular in the World of the Living, for what it’s worth,” Rangiku remarks before taking a sip of sake.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you mean?” Hisagi asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, <em>whoops</em>,” Rangiku puts a hand to her mouth. “That was the sake talking.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Come on,Rangiku, dish the – <em>hiccup</em> – dirt,” Isane presses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well… this was about ten years ago,” Rangiku elaborates, not needing more prompting. “SDRI detected a concentration of Hollow activity in a remote area in the World of the Living, and I was sent to investigate. It was an island full of… very strange people.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>We see Rangiku ten years beforehand, stepping down onto a small island capped by a dormant volcano. She makes her way through the jungle greenery until she comes upon a village. A congregation of humans are all aligned in what looks like ceremonial prayer, illuminated by torchlight and chanting out into the night sky. </em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There was this village — looked like a cult, honestly — and they were conducting some sort of ritual prayer,” Rangiku recounts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>Rangiku sees two Hollows encroaching, attracted to some mysterious force the crowd is exuding. She unsheathes her Zanpakutō and launches at the beasts, taking them out with little fuss. As the Hollows disintegrate, she returns her attention to the congregation.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“When I made out what they were saying, I almost couldn’t believe my ears,” Rangiku continues. “They were calling out to ‘Tsunayashiro Tokinada,’ chanting his name as if he were their deity.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The lieutenants all listen intently, struggling to comprehend how humans could possibly be aware of the Tenrai-chō.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But their leader was what really surprised me,” Rangiku adds, furrowing her brow as she remembers that unforgettable visage.</span>
</p><p class="p2">
  <em>Rangiku looks past the small army of acolytes and sees their high priestess, kneeling on a platform and leading the chant. Only a young teenager, raven hair draping along her porcelain skin, she cries out fervently to Tokinada. She has a cloth wrapped around her eyes.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“She was a young girl, practically a kid,” Rangiku shares. “And… she was blind.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>XCUTION HEADQUARTERS - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b></span> <b>INSIDE THE FISH TANK<br/></b> <span class="s1">Jackie Tristan stomps her ratty boots into the shoal, wriggling them in the mud. She is clad in armor, her neck wreathed with a white scarf and head capped by a black hat, with a veil along the brim shrouding half her face. Ichigo watches nonplussed, his body frocked with the scrawling black of his own Fullbring. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are you doing there, Jackie?” he asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t be impatient, darling,” Jackie coos, lifting up her foot. It’s dripping dirty. “I just needed to scuff my boots up a bit.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She slams her foot back down into the muck, sending forth a fissure in the ground. Ichigo yelps as he sidesteps the tremor, astonished by the force it must have taken to do that. In a spring of Bringer-Light, Jackie is beside him, whirling a kick that crunches into his arm and sends him somersaulting across the shoals. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s an ouchie!” Riruka chuckles from above. She looms over the two miniaturized combatants like a colossus, watching Ichigo take his licks with amusement.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sparring with Jackie was definitely the most painful part of my training,” Chad recalls, the very memory putting a soreness in his ribs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Jackie has the fastest Bringer Light among us, and she packs the biggest punch, too,” Ginjō muses, leaning against a pillar. “You’ll need to hone your Fullbring further if you don’t want to get completely walloped, Ichigo…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jackie flips through the air, plunging down and smashing her boots back into the shoals. The shallow water pulses in one booming concentric circle, sending Ichigo springing up. Jackie launches up to meet him, spinning forward in a somersault and connecting her heel into his chest. He gasps, feeling the air punched out him, and shoots down into the ground with a splash.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tatsuki and Yasutora are still mere pups,” Jackie purrs while levitating down, her boots slamming into the shoals like anvils. “You’re getting a taste of what battling a fully matured Fullbringer is like. Do try and keep up.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo hocks a wad of spit and rises to his feet, focusing his Reikyō to generate a smoky black blade in his hand. He looks at Jackie with incredulity.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re telling me that your Fullbring totem is just a pair of crummy boots?” he asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, you mean my <b>Dirty Boots</b>?” Jackie replies, digging her heels deeper into the mud. “As you know, totems are objects that have a certain sentimental value. Tell me, what’s the nicest thing you’ve ever owned?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo draws a blank, never having considered the question before.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh… well, I… ?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The answer doesn’t jump out at you because your needs have been met all your life,” Jackie continues with a thin smile. “No shame in that, darling. You deserve to be looked after. However, my brother and I were decidedly <em>not</em> taken care of back in The Big Smoke. Our parents were born poor and died poor at a young age, leaving us to fend for ourselves, getting by on the cheapest bare necessities. Until one day, my brother gifted me with an absolutely divine pair of designer kicks.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>We see a younger Jackie Tristan, 16-years-old, wide-eyed as she opens a gift box. She takes out a pair of knee-highs, her eyes widening with delight. She looks to her brother, beaming at him.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Even with my destitute wardrobe, I felt like a goddess strutting around in these boots,” Jackie recalls fondly. “I only wore them for special occasions, mind you, and cleaned them fastidiously. Kept them tip-top pristine. I never did ask him where he got the money for such a luxurious purchase. That was answered soon enough, when we were walking down the street and a thug with a bad haircut strode right up to us and shot my brother in the face. He had turned to being a corner boy for drug traffickers, you see, and skimmed some profits. And there were my boots, stained with his brains.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo is speechless, his Fullbring contracting around him as he takes in the tale.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No amount of polish would ever make them clean again,” Jackie concludes. “Nowadays, they <em>thrive</em> on getting dirty.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jackie bounds forward once more, launching a kick that Ichigo attempts — and fails — to block.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō spies on Ichigo being tossed around, his eyes narrowing. He looks over at Tatsuki and Chad, who are observing the training with grim seriousness.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Riruka, fetch the Shiver Timber box,” he orders.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Huh?” Riruka looks at him incredulously. “What for?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Just do it.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo sighs with relief as Giriko’s <b>Tanshin no Tokei</b> hastens the natural healing of his bruises. He slumps back with an exhale into a plush armchair.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So that didn’t go great,” he sighs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Jackie creamed me the first couple of times, too,” Tatsuki tells him reassuringly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you implying that I wouldn’t wipe the floor with you currently?” Jackie asks with mock indignation before shooting Tatsuki a sly wink.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We only have a couple days before I need to be stronger than all of you, right?” Ichigo asks, his wounds fully healed and Giriko’s spell dissipating. “Maybe we should go again before calling it a night?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Change of plan!” Ginjō announces, patting an aged wood-panel box situated on the table. “Here’s your next stop.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The Shiver Timber?” Tatsuki asks skeptically, eyeing the shrunken bar. “How’s that a good training ground?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Just get in the damn box,” Ginjō grumbles, handing the password to Ichigo. “Chad and Tatsuki, you too. Everyone get in there. Except you, Jackie and Giriko.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo, Chad, and Tatsuki look at the XCution leader with apprehension, then down at the note.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yo-ho-ho and a packet of gum!” they call out in unison, following with a “Pop!” They morph into a blob of green light and shoot down into the miniature.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo rubs his head while getting his bearings, looking around to see the buckaneer-themed bar. He flinches when Riruka pops a bottle of champagne.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“This is a party,” Riruka declares with zero enthusiasm. “I will be your server tonight… Enjoy.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?!” Ichigo shouts. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Another beam of light shoots down after them, morphing into Ginjō. He gives a cheeky grin.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I figured you all could use a night to cut loose,” he discloses, striding over to the bar and pouring four shots of sake. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re all underage, Ginjō-san,” Chad says hesitantly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do I need to punch you in the balls to remind you that you have them, Chad?” Ginjō grumbles back, turning around and shoving a shot into the Gigante’s hands. “You’re all under adult supervision tonight, so stop worrying and have a little fun.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s a school night and already close to 11pm,” Tatsuki protests. “You expect us to party with you all night?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’ll only take 10 minutes,” Ginjō retorts, handing Tatsuki a shot. “Giriko’s casting one of his spells on this box right now, as we speak. Time in here will move a whole lot slower than outside. You’ll still get your nine hours of sleep, don’t you worry.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ginjō… wouldn’t the rest of tonight be better spent training?” Ichigo asks nervously. “I’m not ready yet –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“– And you’re not gonna be ready until you loosen up,” Ginjō counters, handing him the third shot. “Consider this a part of your training. No more objections; they’re all moot anyway. Giriko’s spell comes with a condition: nobody can get out of here until you’re all drunk.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ginjō, you are a terrible influence!” Tatsuki cries out indignantly. “Alright, well… one drink.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo, Chad, and Tatsuki unenthusiastically clink their glasses and throw them back. Ichigo’s mouth puckers from the burn of the liquor, his eyes widening as the sensation hits.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>FIVE DRINKS LATER</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">Ichigo and Tatsuki giggle between sips of champagne as they watch Chad and Ginjō stalemating at arm wrestling.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Come…. on…” Ginjō grits, sweat beading down his brow as the muscles of his bicep strain. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Chad is stone-faced, eyes focused intently as he struggles to swerve Ginjō’s arm onto the table. His nostrils flare, exaggeratedly letting out steam like an angry bull. Suddenly, his arm hardens into Brazo Derecha de Gigante, turning the tide immediately. Ginjō yelps as his arm not only lands onto the table, but smashes through it. He flips from his chair and tumbles across the floor, eliciting a burst of laughter from Ichigo and Tatsuki.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey, that was a cheap shot!” Ginjō cries out, jumping up and nursing his smarting arm. “That’s <em>exactly</em> what I like to see, Chad. Well done!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki leans forward in her chair, nearly teetering while gazing at Ginjō’s forearm. He had pulled up his sleeve for the arm wrestle, and the hint of flesh reveals a blood-red ‘X’ etched below his wrist. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ginjō, when’d you get that tattoo?” Tatsuki asks wide-eyed, sipping champagne through a straw. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, this?” Ginjō remarks, gazing down at the mark. It looks less like a tattoo than a branding. “I… hmmm. I actually don’t remember. <em>Bwahahahaha</em>!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The XCution leader nearly falls over in laughter, plucking up a bottle of sake and taking a swig.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I think you might be imbibing too often, Ginjō-san,” Chad remarks before woozily throwing back his sixth shot of sake.</span>
</p><p class="p4"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">J</span> <span class="s1">ackie flips through television channels from the couch, looking over enviously at the Shiver Timber box, hearing the miniaturized commotion happening within. A <b>Nagabari no Tokei</b> (Long Hand of the Clock)enchantment swirls around the dollhouse, stretching out the party’s duration. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I hardly see how libations will help prime Ichigo,” she wryly comments to Giriko. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I sincerely doubt that even Master Kūgo believes it will be conducive to training,” Giriko offers, solitarily playing chess against himself. “I believe he is merely exorcising stress the only way he knows how.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, it would have been nice to have gotten an invitation,” Jackie murmurs, continuing to press away at the controller.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He explicitly forbade us from participating,” Giriko notes.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oddly crotchety of him, wasn’t it?” Jackie sighs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My concern goes beyond his rudeness,” Giriko continues. “He has been cagier around the two of us as of late.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are you trying to say, Kutzusawa?” Jackie asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I fear… that he is beginning to suspect that something is amiss,” Giriko concludes.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>NINE DRINKS IN<br/></b></span> <span class="s1">Chad and Tatsuki are slumped together on parallel barstools, struggling to maintain consciousness as they nurse their glasses of champagne. Riruka is playing a pretty melody on the piano, shooting an annoyed glare at everyone while they have all the fun.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alright, yer turns to… pour,” Ichigo slurs, resting his chin in hand while sharing a bottle of sake with Ginjō.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You trying to outdrink me, Ichigo?” the XCution leader asks, pouring another round. “That might be the one area you’ll never surpass me in.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo chuckles, then hiccups. His slanted grin tries to turn serious as he takes up his glass, waving it around.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s one thing I - <em>hiccup</em> - keep wonderin’ about,” he broaches. “I, <em>blergh</em>, I know your face from somewhere, Ginjō. Did we ever meet before?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō raises a brow, searching his memory. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Coming up empty, kid,” he putters, ruminative as he takes a sip. “I hear you got a girlfriend. That true?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yup,” Ichigo nods, eyes hooded as he struggles to maintain focus on the conversation. “She’s pretty great. Ball o’ sunshine. Makes me – <em>hiccup</em> — smile.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You care about her?” Ginjō queries. “She’s not just some high school fling?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo shakes his head, then realizes he meant to nod. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No… I mean yes! <em>No</em>, she’s not just a fling. <em>Yes</em>, I care about her.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō pounds a fist against his chest, right where the heart is.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You gotta let her know that,” he advises. “Never take her for granted. Never take anyone who cares about you for granted, got it? That just might be the most important advice I ever give you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you have somebody like that?” Ichigo asks, his chin nearly sliding off from his palm as he teeters back on forth on the table.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I did once,” Ginjō sighs, somberly fingering the Saltire Cross necklaced around his neck. “Long time ago. The same Hollow that infected me took her life.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m sorry,” Ichigo replies, brow crinkling with sympathy.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Funny how death takes everything from us,” Ginjō muses. “Everything that makes us who we are gets flushed when we pass onto Soul Society. Even if she and I met again in the next life, we wouldn’t remember each other… Ain’t that a bitch?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo considers this and feels his buzz begin to curdle. He grows green in the face and turns to puke. Riruka leaps beside him, catching all of his sick with a bucket.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There there, doll-face, just let it out,” she says concernedly before giving Ginjō a cross glare. “Well, you really succeeded in loosening him up, didn’t you?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Eh, he’ll be fine,” Ginjō waves her off, rising from the table and stumbling over to the piano. He absentmindedly roves his hand over the keyboard, pressing down on one of the white keys. The piano sounds out a low, ominous note.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>SOUL SOCIETY - THE NEXT MORNING<br/></b></span> <b>TENSHIHEISŌBAN - THE SHIHŌIN MANOR<br/></b> <span class="s1">Tokinada Tsunayashiro sits atop a gem-encrusted litter, four masked attendants carrying the platform by its two horizontal poles built from bamboo. The Tenrai-chō cools himself with his personal hand fan, a purple ogi with the Kanji phrase <b>Hatsune </b>(“First Child”) embroidered onto it with golden thread. Flanked by the Shikōtai guards Sugai Komamura and Baiyori Magonyo, the royal litter approaches <b>Tenshiheisōban</b> (“House of Godly Gears”), the Shihōin Family manor. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Built into the hollowed-out face of a mountain in the northwest Seireitei, Tenshiheisōban is a fifteen-story hirayamjiro castle with pearly white roofing and onyx facing. Masked attendants at the manor’s entrance bow before Tokinada’s incoming litter. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Welcome, Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō,” the head servant greets. “We did not expect you today.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Your duty is not to anticipate a Tenrai-chō’s whims, but to accommodate them,” Tokinada replies from his lavish perch. “I found myself implacably bored this morning and decided that a conversation with dear Yūshirō is in order.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The Shihōin Tenrai-chō is currently being tutored, Your Majesty.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I see no issue with my sitting in on his lesson,” Tokinada grins, stepping off from his litter and plopping down onto the sacred ground. “Perhaps I will learn something, too.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The head servant gives an acquiescing nod, leading Tokinada and his two Shikōtai guards into the manor. One of the Shihōin attendants watches the Tenrai-chō with suspicious eyes, making a mental note of his arrival. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And so the dispute between the West Rukongai District 49 and 50 was resolved by Decree 833, which granted Rukongai sectors discretion to reject immigration from an outer district…” a wizened lecturer dryly recounts from a crinkled text, adding corresponding notes to a canvas he has perched on a subframe. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yūshirō Sakimune Shihōin, the Tenrai-chō of the Shihōin Shisonka, eagerly scrawls down notes on a parchment while listening to his instructor. Only 62-years-old, he looks like a young teenager by human standards. Dark-skinned, lithe in frame, and handsome with his aureate eyes, he bears an uncanny resemblance to his elder sister, Yoruichi. However, he has never met her: she had betrayed the Gotei and was exiled four decades before he was even born. Following the revelations of Aizen’s treachery and the events of the White Invasion, Yoruichi’s name has been cleared amongst the Gotei 13, but she remains a taboo subject in the House of Shihōin. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sitting in a corner of the chamber is Hinashi Yokio, a translucently pallid and rail-thin Shinigami clad in a bronze cuirass and capped with a helm usurped by a spike. He is the lone Shikōtai guard to the Shihōin family, tasked with protecting Yūshirō’s life. He sits in a meditative posture, eyes vigilantly scanning the room.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yūshirō shoots up his hand to ask a question. Being the only student, it isn’t hard for him to get his instructor’s attention.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes, Tenrai-chō?” the ancient-looking tutor halts his lecture.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yessir!” Yūshirō excitedly nods. “I’m trying to understand <em>how</em> Decree #833helped the West Rukongai when it merely kept District 50’s criminals stuck in District 50? That doesn’t sound like a lasting peace to me.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, your majesty, the ruling reflected Central 46’s stance that a Rukongai district with closer proximity to the Seireitei will always retain greater privileges than those who reside farther out,” the lecturer replies. “That is the…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A loud, performative yawn sounds out from the chamber entrance, breaking the tutor’s train of thought. Yūshirō looks back and sees a welcome face. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh hello, Tokinada!” the young Shihōin Tenrai-chō shouts excitedly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My dear Yūshirō, why in heavens do you submit yourself to these ramblings?” Tokinada yawns again, striding down the lecture hall’s steps. His flowing Shihakushō gives him the appearance of a descending wraith. He turns his attention to the lecturer.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And you; why do you dare waste Yūshirō’s education on such trivial matters?” Tokinada asks. “Why bore him with Central 46’s long history of placating Rukongai filth?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Because it is vital that a Tenrai-chō understands Soul Society’s law, Your Majesty,” the tutor answers nervously. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why yes, I suppose that’s true,” Tokinada replies. “But what of <em>our </em>law? The Shisonka law? I suggest you leave us so that I may educate the lad on the only law that matters.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The flustered tutor hurriedly collects his scrolls and makes his leave. Yokio rises to his full height, giving Sugai and Magonyo a nod.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Come, Yūshirō,” Tokinada smiles. “Let us walk together. There is much to discuss.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada and Yūshirō stride through the open corridors of Tenshiheisōban’s central garden, followed silently by Sugai, Magonyo, and Yokio. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Irritating, isn’t it?” Tokinada remarks, gesturing back to their Shikōtai guards. “To be shadowed by Shinigami during our every waking moment? How arcane that we are left defenseless, deprived of Zanpakutō.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Father once told me that we <em>do</em> have Zanpakutō awaiting us,” Yūshirō offers. “The most powerful ever created – forged in the Royal Realm itself!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ah yes, that old story,” Tokinada grins. “The four Tenkettō Zanpakutō, our ancestral Shinken. I can attest to their existence.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s why we don’t have our own Zanpakutō, right?” Yūshirō asks. “So that we are able wield the Shinken come the hour of Soul Society’s greatest need?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“A supposed day of reckoning that may never arrive,” Tokinada retorts. “That is the fable they’d like you to believe, dear Yūshirō. Promising Reiō’s favorite children that they are prophesied saviors is a comforting myth.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you mean, Tokinada?” Yūshirō asks, halting his stride. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Much has been kept from you, my boy,” Tokinada says, reaching down to touch the young Tenrai-chō’s shoulder. “If your father had lived to this day, then perhaps he would have already dispelled the fairytales they filled your head with as a child. I regret that the task has fallen upon me: Our ancestors surrendered their Tenkettō Zanpakutō not in preparation for a future threat, but to defuse the threat the swords themselves posed. So long as the four families were physically mighty, the specter of civil war loomed. They mutually agreed to disarm and vest military power into lesser souls. This birthed the necessity of the Gotei.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yūshirō’s golden irises shimmer, gazing up in awe at Tokinada. Sheltered his entire life, he has come to view the elder Tenrai-chō as the only person who respects him enough to share hard truths.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You and I have been rendered toothless because those who came before us did not trust themselves with power,” Tokinada continues. “Central 46 and the Gotei would have us believe that we are merely ornamental figures, trotted out to commence ceremonies or settle trivial disputes. But we are so much more than that, Yūshirō: the Reiō speaks through us, and our whims are his command. The Shinigami who rule in our stead want us defenseless because they fear our strength.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Our strength?” Yūshirō repeats, trying to understand. “What is our strength, Tokinada?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō smirks, leading his peer for another lap around the garden. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I will give you an example, my boy: Can you recall the realms for me?” Tokinada asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um, well… there is Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, the Land of Beasts, and the World of the Living?” Yūshirō recounts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes, but they are not all that exist,” Tokinada replies. “Those are only the realms connected to the Cycle of Souls. They were but four kernels amongst countless seeds planted by Reiō himself. Many of those seeds went unnourished and never took proper shape, growing into desolate worlds disconnected from the Cycle altogether.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The Valley of Screams?” Yūshirō pipes up excitedly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Very good, Yūshirō,” Tokinada continues with a glimmer in his eye. “The Valley of Screams: those pockets of void that litter the Senkaimon. But there is one of these disconnected realms that grew into something <em>truly unique</em>. A prison called <b>Hell</b>, where the wicked are ejected from the Cycle altogether and left to languish in eternal despair.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>We see five tiers of a forsaken dimension, beginning with an outer layer of white blocks suspended in the air, below which reside water lilies comprised of stone sitting atop an infinite expanse of water. Below this tier is a barren landscape of craters veined with yellow magma. Descending down reveals a fourth level of a white desert made from powdered bone fragments, a glowing waterfall of magma pouring from a looming cliffside. We travel below this layer to the lowermost chamber: a blacken wasteland glowing with geysers and veins of red lava, skeletal behemoths roaming aimlessly. There is one enormous column of volcanic rock, within it countless souls screaming up at the indifferent sky as they writhe amongst each other in agonizing pain. They are gated within by a grate built from bone, their bodies manacled in chains that slither viciously throughout their bodies. </em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Five layers of an impregnable prison caging the damned as they endure infinite, unbearable torture,” Tokinada recalls with delight. “There is no hope for reprieve, only suffering. All the inmates can do is reflect on the sins that brought them there.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Tenrai-chō looks down and sees Yūshirō’s horrified expression. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There, there, Yūshirō,” Tokinada coos, giving the boy a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “There is no reason for <em>you</em> to fear Hell.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s isn’t?” Yūshirō asks shakily, trying not imagine what an eternity of torture must be like.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Tokinada answers. “Hell is not a punishment for the likes of us. It is a tool. <em>We</em> are the ones who send sinners there.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We do?” Yūshirō marvels. “But… what sins did they commit?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada grins.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“My boy, sins are whatever<em> we </em>decide them to be.”</span>
</p><p class="p5"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>THE WORLD OF THE LIVING - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b></span> <b>KUROSAKI HOUSE<br/></b><span class="s1">Ichigo stirs awake, head throbbing and clammy skin coated in sweat. <em>Ouch</em>, he thinks, groggily rubbing a hand through his bedhead. <em>What happened last night?</em></span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The hazy memories of drinking with Ginjō and the others return to him, prompting a sigh. <em>Thanks a lot, Ginjō.</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Had one too many last night?” Isshin asks disapprovingly from the doorway. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo, startled, looks up at his father. His nonplussed look turns into a frown.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Can’t you knock before barging in?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You hadn’t come down for breakfast,” Isshin replies. “If you get your ass in gear, you just might make it to school on time. So, did you tie one off last night? I can tell just looking at you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo shifts uncomfortably beneath the sheets. He feels embarrassed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t look so ashamed,” Isshin grunts. “You’re a man now; you can do what you want so long as you be mindful of the consequences. I’m not gonna reprimand you for something like drinking…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Isshin steps in and closes the door behind him, his eyes narrowing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Care to share what else you’ve been doing, lately?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What’s it to you?” Ichigo grumbles, climbing out of his bed and opening his closet to fetch an outfit. “We’re a family full of secrets, <em>aren’t we</em>?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He agitatedly wrests a jacket from the coat hanger, turning to give his father dagger eyes.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Have you ever grilled Karin about what she’s up to?” he asks. “Or are you gonna pretend you don’t know?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Isshin returns the frown.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“She’s a woman now, she can make her own choices,” he counters. “I don’t tell my kids what to do with their lives. I thought you would have gotten that by now.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> “You’re a real Father of the Year,” Ichigo grimaces.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you think your life is so expendable that you alone should face danger?” Isshin sighs. “We’re Kurosakis; bravery is in our nature.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Ichigo says, plucking up a pair of pants. “I don’t really know anything about you, after all. I need to change, do you mind?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Isshin studies his son for a beat, then acquiesces. He leaves the room so Ichigo can get dressed.</span>
</p><p class="p4"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b></span> <b>NINTH DIVISION BARRACKS - TRAINING FIELD<br/></b><span class="s1">“Absolutely not!” Kensei Muguruma barks at Hisagi, submerging a trainee beneath pond water. “You’re out of your mind if you think I’d green-light something like that!” </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What’s your objection?” Hisagi asks perturbedly, a pocket-watch in hand. “The Captain-Commander gave me broad discretion to investigate –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“– He said you could digging around in Tōsen’s dirt, not go poking around in a friggin’ Tenrai-chō’s affairs.” Kensei interrupts ruefully. “Are you familiar with the word ‘treason’? Hold on a sec –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kensei feels the grunt he’s submerged tapping out. He releases his hold, the Shinigami springing up from the pond greedily sucking in air. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How long?” Kensei asks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Two minutes and twenty seconds,” Hisagi replies, looking at the pocket-watch. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That’s a rookie number!” Kensei roars at the grunt. “I want you sucking it in for four minutes same time next week, got it?! Take a lap. Next!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kensei smacks the grunt on the back and ushers in another, unceremoniously dunking him into the pond. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“As I was saying – I’m not granting you permission to venture into the World of the Living to sniff out innuendo about one of the most powerful people in Soul Society.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi glowers while the watch ticks away. “You’re not the least bit curious to learn why an island of humans worship him?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You bet yer ass I’m curious,” Kensei replies. “But it’s none of our business. No good could come from sifting through a Tenrai-chō’s dirty laundry.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why… would you go through his laundry?” Hisagi stammers, genuinely confused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s a human expression, Shūhei,” Kensei grits. “Dammit, all of you are such a drag. My point is that you’re not going to that island. End of conversation.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Aww, where’s the fun in that?” a lackadaisical voice calls out. Kensei and Shūhei look up and see Captain Shunsui Kyōraku approaching, tipping his straw hat back to reveal a cheeky grin. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Kyōraku?” Kensei says surprisedly. “What brings you here?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nanao-chan told me a ve-eee-ry interesting story she overheard last night at the shindig,” Shunsui recalls. “Something about an isle of Shinigami-worshipping humans?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Lieutenant Ise wasn’t at the party last night,” Hisagi recalls, taken aback. “How did she…?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, she chickened out of attending at the last second and hung around in the hallway,” Shunsui sighs. “Nanao-chan’s very introverted, y’know? Anyways, I figured I’d visit this island, and I was wondering if you two wanna come along?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Really?” Hisagi asks excitedly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I already forbid Shūhei from going,” Kensei frowns. “It’s a detour that falls outside of his investigation’s purview.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, this wouldn’t be a part of any investigation,” Shunsui hand-waves with a sheepish smile. “I just wanna go out of curiosity, stretch my legs a bit. Don’t you wanna take a quick sojourn, Captain Muguruma?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kensei stares Shunsui down for a beat. “Fine,” he sighs. “This is gonna be strictly off the record. Got that, Shū– oh, <em>whoops</em>.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The captain realizes that the submerged grunt has been tapping out for a while already. He removes his hand, the rookie springing up gasping for breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sorry, kid,” Kensei murmurs apologetically, giving the near-drowned Shinigami a pat on the shoulder. “You get top marks, okay? Go take a nap.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>THE WORLD OF THE LIVING - THAT AFTERNOON<br/></b></span> <b>KARAKURA HIGH SCHOOL<br/></b> <span class="s1">The whole classroom looks awkwardly at Ichigo while he loudly snores, chin in hand and having drifted off to sleep. A contracting and inflating bubble has sprouted from his nostril as he snores away.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Mr. Kurosaki!” the teacher shouts agitatedly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo’s eyes snap open and his chin slides off from his palm, slamming onto the desk. He nurses his stinging jaw while his classmates snicker.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll be seeing you after class, Mr. Kurosaki,” the instructor chides before resuming his lecture.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Psst, Ichigo, you look terrible,” Keigo whispers concernedly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thanks,” Ichigo grumbles back, slinking deeper into his chair and trying to focus.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What were you doing last night?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s none of your business,” Ichigo drowsily retorts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Keigo turns crimson with mortification, realizing he’s been cut out of the loop.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How could you ice out your best friend, huh?” he frenziedly bemoans, trying to keep his voice down. “And after I covered for you with your job the other night?!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes, a little bit of gratitude would have been nice,” Mizuiro chimes in, giving Ichigo a rueful look. “Sad to see you so secretive again, Ichigo.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo lets out a flustered exhale, struggling to get comfortable while his body aches. He looks over to Tatsuki, who looks ghostly pale, clammy with sweat, but chipper all the same. She’s maniacally chewing on a piece of gum, nearly humming to herself as she strains to focus on the lesson plan.</span>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>MEGUMURENRI: THE KUCHIKI MANOR - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">Ginrei Kuchiki dabs his paintbrush into a swath of amethyst and indigo, and brings the mixture up to the canvas. He is painting a collage of Hydrangea flowers. Listless for decades after retiring from the Gotei to assume the role of Tenrai-chō, he has discovered an indispensable outlet through artistry.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The shōji slides open, an attendant peeking inside.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Your majesty, the Ise Tenrai-chō is on the premises,” the servant announces. “She demands an audience –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The attendant is knocked aside by Kōbucha Ise, the Tenrai-chō of Ise House. Prim and sinewy, her dusky hair striped with gray and eyes a smoldering black, she swats her hand-fan across the attendant’s face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I never demand!” Kōbucha hisses, making her way into Ginrei’s quarters. “I graciously request – with the expectation that it will be granted. On your way, you are not needed here.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The attendant stomps off while Kōbucha is joined by her Shikōtai guard, Nisaki Rurisa. A burly and tall woman with short-cropped auburn hair and charcoal eyes, she is clad in a barn-red cuirass, her helm punctuated with a shortened approximation of Addax horns.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You haven’t gotten any more skillful after all these years,” Kōbucha says derisively while peeking at Ginrei’s painting. “Set your doodle aside – we have important matters to discuss.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Kōbucha, I wish you would preempt your visits with a word of warning,” Ginrei sighs. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A figure emerges from behind a curtain in the corner of the room: Kōga Kuchiki, Ginrei’s Shikōtai guard. Unlike the rest of the Shisonka bodyguards, Kōga does not wear samurai armor. He is instead clad in standard Shihakushō garb with a lengthy red scarf draped around his neck. Black of hair with a red-dyed ponytail fastened by a kenseikan to signify his surrender of ancestral claim, he is a strikingly handsome young Shinigami. He gives a nod to Rurisa, who returns the gesture.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tokinada paid Yūshirō a visit yet again this morning,” Kōbucha announces, dramatically fanning herself with indignation. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How did you learn of this?” Ginrei asks, setting his paintbrush down.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I have my sources,” Kōbucha replies evasively. She frowns when Ginrei gives her a disapproving look.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh Kōbucha, you’ve planted <em>spies</em> in the Shihōin House?” Ginrei laments. “Your deviousness is getting out of hand.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My deviousness may save us yet!” Kōbucha retorts, making herself at home and flopping down onto the plush seat reserved for Ginrei. “Who knows what silly ideas Tokinada is putting into that boy’s head? Yūshirō is an impressionable child – imagine him being a deferring vote in favor of Tokinada’s opinion whenever we make a ruling?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginrei sighs, recognizing the threat. The Shihōin family took their daughter Yoruichi’s treason as a sign that they had been too lenient with their children. They compensated by insulating Yūshirō throughout his upbringing. He became the docile heir they desired, but their method also made him impressionable. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tokinada is within his rights to spend time with the boy,” Ginrei reasons. “You have the same right to visit him, too.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why would I?” Kōbucha snaps back. “He’s only sixty years old, a child who knows nothing. I can’t imagine more boring company. Whether or not I have tea time with the brat is not the problem. Should Tokinada be allowed to sink his claws into him, the power of the Shisonka will be tilted in his favor.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Perhaps,” Ginrei muses. “Or perhaps you and I can guide them both. They are <em>young</em>, Kōbucha. They still have time to mature into their roles.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kōbucha shoots Ginrei an incredulous glare.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Perhaps the biggest threat to the Shisonka isn’t Tokinada, but doddering old fools and their good intentions,” she says venomously. “Good day, Ginrei.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ise storms out, followed by Rurisa. Ginrei sighs, plucking up his paintbrush but feeling no desire to continue with his collage today.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Kōga… what do you think?” he asks his Shikōtai guard.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kōga Kuchiki paces around the room, his jade eyes alight with irritation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The Ise Tenrai-chō’s paranoia may be justified, but I think the greatest threat to the Shisonka will come within this very House – if Byakuya has his way,” he grits. “Attempting to hand off your legacy to that Rukongai welp is an insult.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginrei furrows his brow, feeling profoundly conflicted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Byakuya is dedicated to the prosperity of the Kuchiki name, and he sees promise in Rukia,” the Tenrai-chō counters. “I know that he would not jeopardize –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“– He is blinded by the memory of Hisana,” Kōga boldly interjects. “He has convinced himself that elevating that girl will honor his dead wife. His judgment has been corrupted by sentiment.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginrei fumbles with his paintbrush, then sets it down. He meekly strides across the room and rests in his chair.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I know he is your grandson, Your Majesty, but his request will be the undoing of this House,” Kōga adds. “Tokinada is a rightful inheritor of the Tsunayashiro throne – it was Reiō’s will that he assume power. What will the Reiō think when Kuchiki House insults him by offering up Rukongai trash as his vassal?”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>THE WORLD OF THE LIVING - SAIKUROPUSUA ISLE</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">The lush greenery in the Isle of Saikuropusua doesn’t even rustle when the Senkaimon opens. Out steps Shunsui, Kensei, and Hisagi. The three Shinigami gaze at their surroundings. They are ensconced within a humid jungle, a swollen volcano looming above.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, we’re here,” Kensei remarks. “So where are the crazies?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Shh,” Shunsui hushes, holding up a finger for silence. “Listen.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi and Kensei train their ears, hearing the pulsating beat of drumming in the far distance. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Follow the music, that’s my motto,” Shunsui grins, striding forth through the greenery.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“This is strictly off the record, got it?” Kensei warns Hisagi with an annoyed glare.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi gulps and follows the two captains into the brush.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The trio make their way until they come upon a cliffside, gazing down at a village of straw huts. It looks thoroughly antiquated, resembling the Seireitei more than it does the 21st Century World of the Living. Nearly a hundred humans are congregated in the village square, kneeling in prayer before a scaffold. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Atop the platform stand two men intensely drumming sheepskin barrels. Kneeling between them is a young woman, her black hair a lopsided cut with a fringe of gray along the bangs. She wears a sleeve of cloth around her eyes. Her name is Aura Michibane.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Blessed be us, members of the <b>Tengokuyoken</b>!” Michibane cries out, her voice soft but carrying throughout the valley. “Know ye that death gives way to renewal, but clinging to mortal concerns breeds disfiguration. Cleanse yourselves of petty grievance, and prepare for a seat within the Seireitei. Hail Tenrai-chō Tsunayashrio!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hail Tenrai-chō Tsunayashiro!” the crowd chants, their voices echoing throughout the island.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“This is some weird shit,” Kensei remarks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s take a closer look,” Shunsui advises, giving his comrades an incorrigible nod.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui, Kensei, and Hisagi stride amongst the Tengokuyoken faithful, inspecting the prostrate believers.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It’s a mixture of young and old,” Shunsui observes while studying their faces. “They’ve been recruiting.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I promise you an afterlife of not just peace, but prosperity!” Michibane continues to proselytize. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Have you noticed it, yet?” Kensei remarks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you mean, Captain?” Hisagi asks, carefully stepping over the congregates.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The way they tremble,” Kensei observes. “They’re all terrified of that woman.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi gazes down at the worshippers, noticing the pronounced quivering of their musculature. They are quaking in fear.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh…” Michibane coos from her perch, reaching her hands out into the air, as if grappling with a phantom presence. She cocks her head. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi halts, sensing that he is being scrutinized. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Captain,” he whispers, nudging Kensei. “I think… she sees us.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Pretty sure she’s blind, Shūhei,” Kensei retorts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No, look – she knows we’re here,” Hisagi asserts, sweat beading down his brow. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui looks up at Michibane, watching as her fingers curl. He can detect her scrutiny, too. He looks around, clocking the nervous looks from several of the Tengokuyoken worshippers. They can see him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How strange,” the Eighth Division Captain remarks. “Maybe the head cultist isn’t completely full of it?”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>KARAKURA TOWN</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">Tatsuki sighs with relief as she begins her walk home from school. Keeping it together all day with a hangover proved to be an arduous ordeal.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hello, Arisawa,” Chad greets, dovetailing to join her on the stroll home. “Where’s Ichigo?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He fell asleep in class,” Tatsuki recalls with amusement. “Now he’s getting a talking to. Last night really did a number on him. I feel like I got hit by a truck, myself.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh?” Chad says softly, surprised. “I felt fine this morning.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s because you’re a tank, big guy,” Tatsuki playfully punches him in the arm. “Pretty weird of Ginjō to insist we drink, wasn’t it?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They turn a corner, entering into a shortcut alleyway.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes,” Chad nods. “Something’s been off about him ever since we began training Ichigo.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What do you mean?” Tatsuki asks, halting her stride.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You haven’t noticed it?” Chad says, gazing down at her. “Ever since Ichigo agreed to join XCution, Ginjō hasn’t seemed like himself. The edges feel sanded away. I always sensed a great anger in him. Now all I see in him is… sadness.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki ponders this for a beat, her train of thought interrupted by the revving of engines. She sees an outstretched hand wielding a pipe swinging behind Chad’s head.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Chad, behind you!” she cries out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yasutora whips around to meet his attacker, raising his arms to shield his face. The motorcyclist rips past him, swinging the pipe with blunt force. It smashes against Chad’s forearms, bending into a twisted horseshoe. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki watches the motorcycle roar down the alleyway to join a small army of punks blocking the entrance, their shirts emblazoned with that familiar skeletal hawk insignia.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>Bōnhōku! </em>Tatsuki realizes, turning back to the other end of the alley, only to see more gang members awaiting them from that passageway. They’re surrounded on both sides, cornered in the alley. Tatsuki instinctively reaches for the knapsack around her waist, only to remember she’s not wearing it. <em>I left Ringo at home! </em>she thinks in a panic. <em>I can’t access my Fullbring without him!</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Arisawa, get behind me” Chad advises, grimly assessing the forces ambushing them. There are at least two dozen Bōnhōku streaming in from both sides, four of them situated on motorcycles. They rev their engines threateningly. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Moe Shishigawara emerges from the pack, hands on hips and a cocksure grin on his face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You thought you could mess with the Bōnhōku and get away with it?” he grins. “Time to pay your dues, chump change! I’m gonna deliver you to Tsukishima-sama myself.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I remember that guy from the Shiver Timber,” Tatsuki murmurs to Chad. “I kicked a plank up into his balls.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can understand why he’d hold a grudge about that,” Chad says, his eyes trained on the Bōnhōku lieutenant. “He’s not ordinary; I sense Reikyō coming from him. He’s like us.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wait, seriously?!” Tatsuki pipes up incredulously.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Charge!” Shishigawara roars, thrusting both of his arms up into the air. The Bōnhōku begin dashing forward from both directions, armed with an assortment of chains, baseball bats, and pipes. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A motorcycle breaks ahead of the charging crowd and bears down on Chad and Tatsuki. Chad’s right arm hardens into Brazo Derecha de Gigante and outstretches to welcome incoming chopper. The motorcyclist yelps with surprise as his vehicle smashes against Chad’s palm, the tires kicking up smoke as they impotently try to spin forward. Yasutora glares at the stunned Bōnhōku and swings his left fist, knocking the punk right off his perch. He tosses the motorcycle aside and barrels forward into the throng of foot soldiers.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki turns and sees a motorcycle rushing at her from the other direction, with a backseat passenger brandishing a chunky pipe. Summoning her courage, she makes a dash towards the rider and leaps up over him, catching the pipe-wielding passenger with a kick to the chin. The goon falls back and skids across the concrete, his weapon rolling along the ground. The driver makes a sharp swerve, turning back around to charge at Tatsuki again. He hits the gas and roars forward.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki runs in the other direction, snatching up the pipe. She sprints several yards, then turns back around to await the bulldozing dirt bike. She braces herself, as if playing a game of chicken. The rider goes full steam ahead, willing to run her over. The motorcycle comes within four feet of her when she hops aside, shoving the metal pipe crookedly into the spokes of the front wheel as it whirrs by. The Bōnhōku rider screams as his ride flips forward, landing with a crash.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"</span> <span class="s1">You are throwing away your future if you don’t shape up, young man!” the teacher continues berating Ichigo. “I’ve talked to your past teachers – they told me you were very bright and can’t account for your drop in performance. Now, if there is trouble at home…”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo sits in his chair with an annoyed glare, just trying to bear through the lecture. Suddenly, he feels a familiar twinge. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>What was that?</em> he thinks, feeling some pulsating, nervous energy in the far distance. His Shinigami badge throbs within his backpack, sounding off like an alarm. <em>It’s Chad… he’s using his Fullbring. But why?</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo shoots up from his desk, grabbing his bag and storming out of the classroom.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Mr. Kurosaki, get back here or I will slap you with a week’s worth of detention!” the teacher yells after him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll see you then!” Ichigo calls back.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Chad swings his armored right arm around, smashing a swath of Bōnhōku gangs members off their feet. One punk swings a chain from behind – it wraps around Chad’s wrist. The Gigante looks at the tether, then to the smug gang member trying to pull his arm back like an ill-considered game of tug-of-war. With the slightest exertion, Chad yanks the chain back, launching its handler towards him. He swings his unarmored first, his knuckles cracking deep into the assailant’s jaw.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shishigawara watches as his forces get swiftly mowed down. He coolly strides forward, his brow furrowed in determination as he slowly unravels the bandages encasing his right hand. The gauze gives way to a gleaming brass knuckle, bejeweled with three consecutive 7s. He picks up his step, breathing heavily as he hypes himself up. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yasutora sees the Bōnhōku pack leader sprinting towards him. He swerves to meet the challenge, his left arm hardening into the sleek red and white texture of Brazo Izquierda del Diablo. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You don’t get to make a fool out of me!” Shishigawara cries out, leaping up at Chad and bringing his fist down like a hammer. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Chad thrusts up a punch to meet Shishigawara’s strike. Their fists connect, sounding out a sonic boom that prompts the ground to subtly quake.</span>
</p><p>
  <iframe></iframe>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Chad grunts, his body going into shock as the coating around his knuckles begins to crack. Brazo Izquierda del Diablo shatters, revealing Chad’s dislocated arm within, completely knocked out from its socket. The limb swings down and sways limply by his side. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Bōnhōku all freeze, looking on in stunned silence. Tatsuki turns to the commotion, her breath catching in her throat when she sees Chad falling to his knees in pain. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Jackpot!” Shishigawara cries out triumphantly, beaming with pride. Without missing a beat, he grabs Chad by the scruff of his shirt to hold him still and swings again, striking the Gigante square across the face. Chad rockets back against the wall, smashing through the brick and disappearing in a heap of rubble.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shishigawara cackles and turns his attention to a horrified Tatsuki. He giddily strides towards her, roving his arm to work out the tension.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Yeah, I’m a badass just like you, only I’m <em>badass-er</em>,” he grins, brandishing his blinged-out fist. “You like my Fullbring, </span> <span class="s2"><b>Jakkupoggenkotsu </b>(Jackpot Knuckle)? It gives me a 99 percent chance of landing a jackpot with every punch. You can’t even get those kind of odds in Macau.”</span></p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">He halts within a yard of Tatsuki and dramatically cracks his knuckles. They emit a loud, crunchy <em>pop</em>.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“When I didn’t land a jackpot on you the other night, guess what the chances of that happening were?” he grits, eyeing Tatsuki with disdain. “One in a hundred.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1"> <em>We glimpse back to the ambush at the Shiver Timber, when Shishigawara leapt up and connected a hit against Tatsuki’s face. It was completely ineffectual, the punch hardly registering. She responded by kicking at the floor beneath her, a loose plank swinging up to hit Shishigawara right in the groin.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki stands petrified now, unable to defend herself against this supernatural power. She’s screwed.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“You’re one helluva lucky woman,” Shishigawara bristles. You feelin’ lucky now?!”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki flinches as Shishi launches forward, thrusting his fist at her like a battering ram. The knuckles are within inches of her, only to swipe at air.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Shishigawara awkwardly stumbles forward, blinking in confusion. “Where the hell’d she go?” he wonders.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">He turns around to see Ichigo Kurosaki, his body encased in the black fire of his Fullbring, holding Tatsuki by his side. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Where’s Chad?” Ichigo asks her, not taking his eyes off of Shishigawara.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“That guy knocked him into the building,” Tatsuki answers with a gulp, nodding to the hole in the adjacent wall. “He’s strong, Ichigo. Be careful.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo’s face scrunches up with fury, his hand conjuring a black, smoldering blade. The confidence drains from Shishigawara’s face as he regards the sword.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Uh… who are you?” the Bōnhōku lieutenant mumbles, frightened. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“I’m the guy whose gonna smash you into a wall just like you did to Chad,” Ichigo grits, pointing his wispy blade at the now-quivering grunt. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, don’t go crushing Shishi, now,” a velvety voice sounds out from the rooftop above. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Shishigawara’s eyes widen with relief. He looks up, a smile spreading across his face. Ichigo and Tatsuki follow his eye-line, spotting Shūkurō Tsukishima spying on them from above. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1"><em>Who is that? </em>Ichigo wonders.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima pinches the bookmark peeking up from his copy of <em>Confessions of a Mask</em> and slides it out with a flourish. He tosses the book over his shoulder.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“I just finished reading it, anyway,” he grins, outstretching his arm. There is a flare of green luminescence and the bookmark unfurls into a tasseled katana. He nimbly steps off from the ledge and glides down, landing softly between Ichigo and Shishigawara with a supple pulse of green light beneath his feet. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1"><em>He can use Bringer-Light</em>? Tatsuki observes with surprise.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Oh ho ho ho, you’re really gonna get it, now!” Shishigawara crows at Ichigo. “Tsukishima-sama is crazy strong! He’s the most awesome guy there is – absolutely invincible! You’re gonna regret the –“</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“– I recall ordering you not to engage with XCution, Shishi,” Tsukishima says softly, casting cold eyes back at his subordinate. “What do you call <em>this</em>?”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Shishi turns blue in the face, nervously prostrating himself in a bow. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Tsukishima-sama, I value your honor over my own life!” he shouts. “As your underling, I could not let an insult to your Bōnhōku go unanswered! I took it upon myself to defeat your enemies, knowing full well that you may execute me as punishment! I would do it again, sir!”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">The corners of Tsukishima’s lips turn up a degree. He looks over to the dozen Bōnhōku members who are still conscious.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“All of you, disperse!” the bookish young man orders. “Get back to the hideout.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">He watches as the grunts all turn tail and run away, not needing any more encouragement to get the hell out of dodge. Tsukishima turns his attention back to the trembling Shishigawara. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“I will think of a suitable punishment for you later, after I clean up your mess,” he concludes.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“You’re the leader of the Bōnhōku?” Tatsuki calls out, glaring at the interloper with suspicion.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Sort of,” Tsukishima replies, flitting his eyes to her with a sly expression. “I’m giving it a try, just to see if I like it.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Your ‘underling’ hurt my friend,” Ichigo says contemptuously, staring Tsukishima down. “You’re both going to pay for that.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“I will point out that it was your two friends here who cast the first stone,” Tsukishima chuckles. “Along with that snooping Quincy…”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Uryū…?” Ichigo grits. “Were you the one who cut him?!”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima cocks his head, his beady eyes shining mischievously.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“What do you think?” </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo lunges forward and locks blades with Tsukishima in a dazzling flash of Reikyō. The two swordsmen struggle at a standstill, their noses nearly touching. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Oh dear…” Tsukishima taunts as he feels out the intensity of Ichigo’s sword. “This Fullbring hasn’t matured yet. You’re behind schedule.” </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima shoves Ichigo back a step and launches up into the air with a spring of Bringer-Light, beckoning the Strawberry to follow. Ichigo, rage in his eyes, bounds up after him, a concentric pulse booming beneath his feet.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1"><em>Ichigo just used Bringer-Light?!</em> Tatsuki thinks, watching in awe. <em>But we haven’t taught him how to do that, yet. He just instinctually figured it out?!</em></span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima leaps back against the face of the adjacent building, springing away to dodge Ichigo’s slash. The Fullbring’s smoldering edge slices across the bricks with shattering force. Ichigo swerves around, his heel touching on the crumbling wall, and launches himself after Tsukishima again with a ring of green light in his wake. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima doesn’t try to dodge this time, parrying Ichigo’s swipes with finesse as they leap back and forth along the alley’s opposing walls, crumbling the structures with the reverberations of their strikes. Ichigo thrusts his blade forward, only for Tsukishima to dissipate in a blur. The Bōnhōku leader reappears behind Ichigo, slamming the butt of his katana between the Strawberry’s shoulder blades. Ichigo gasps and plummets down, crashing into the concrete. His Fullbring melts away into black wisps, the Shinigami Substitute badge rolling out from his limp grasp. It spins before him before clattering to a stop. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima touches down before his felled opponent. He turns the badge over the with tip of his katana, inspecting the totem. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“You still haven’t unlocked the power you had once upon a time,” Shūkurō observes. “That’s worris– <em>gulch</em>.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s2">Tsukishima chokes as the arm of Chad’s </span> <span class="s1">Brazo Derecha de Gigante wraps around his throat, yanking him back. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Chad, get away from him!” Tatsuki warns. “He’s dangerous!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Chad, his body scored with cuts and left arm swinging limply like a brittle leaf, grits his teeth as he tries to drag Tsukishima away from Ichigo. The Strawberry stirs back to consciousness, looking up to see his friend coming to his aide. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima gurgles as the musculature of Chad’s armored arm tightens around his neck, squeezing the air out of him. He shoves back his elbow into Chad’s ribs, repeating the strike until the wounded Gigante’s strength gives up. Chad releases his grip, stumbling back and clutching at his bruised ribs. Tsukishima turns to confront him, nursing his throat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ah… what the hell,” Tsukishima decides, swinging his sword. The blade phases through Chad’s torso like a phantom slice. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">"CHAD!” Ichigo screams, believing his friend cut down. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Chad blinks in confusion, his right arm grasping his chest. He’s completely unharmed from the swing. He looks up at Tsukishima with a stunned expression, as if recognizing him anew. Ichigo and Tatsuki watch in uneasy silence, completely perplexed by what just happened.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“I think we’ve had enough fun for today,” Tsukishima announces, his voice hoarse. He looks to Shishigawara. “We’re leaving.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Yessir!” Shishigawara exclaims sheepishly, running up to rejoin his sensei’s side. They stride away a few yards before Tsukishima halts, looking back at Chad.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Coming, Yasutora?” </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Chad nods and trudges towards them. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“What are you doing?!” Tatsuki shouts, running up to him and grabbing his shoulder. “Chad, stay with –“</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Chad brushes her off, the aggressive gesture surprising her. Tatsuki looks up at him in shock, her eyes wide and wet. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Chad?”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“I did what I came here to do; make sure that Tsukishima and Ichigo didn’t kill each other.” Chad replies somberly. “I have to go, now.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“What are you saying, Chad?” Ichigo asks nervously, struggling up into a kneeling position. “You sound like… you’re his ally?”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Chad looks at Ichigo for a long, melancholy beat. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“… I owe him my life,” the Gigante answers. “Tsukishima-san was there to help me realize my power. He lead the charge to rescue Rukia from execution and saved Karakura Town from Aizen. Do not ask me to choose between you, Ichigo. Because if that is the choice, then I choose him.”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“<em>What</em>?” Ichigo whispers, the color draining from his face. He sits in dumbfounded horror, watching as his best friend turns from him and joins Tsukishima and Shishigawara. The three figures walk to the end of the alleyway and turn the corner, disappearing from view.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“I… I don’t understand,” Tatsuki mumbles, tears streaming down her cheeks. She and Ichigo are perfectly still, both of them feeling completely hollowed out. Empty.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">The silence is broken when the XCution van peels into the alleyway and drives up. The side door slides open, Jackie and Riruka sticking their heads out. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“What the hell happened here?” Riruka asks, surveying the unconscious gang members strewn across the ground. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō exits from the driver side, running up to Ichigo. </span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Who did this to you?!” he asks, face alight with concern. “Where’s Yasutora?”</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo numbly gazes off at the other end of the alley, unable to form the words. Ginjō grips his chin and cranes his face to meet his eyes.</span>
</p><p class="p7">
  <span class="s1">“Ichigo,” Ginjō says urgently. “You need to tell me everything that happened.”</span>
</p><p class="p6"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>SAIKUROPUSUA ISLE</b><br/></span> <span class="s1">It is now night, and the congregates have retreated back into their hovels. Aura Michibane sits in her quarters, a room constructed from bamboo and illuminated by candlelight. She combs her hair while simultaneously jotting down notes in a diary. Behind her is a bookcase crammed taut with journals. Her scribbling ceases when Shunsui, Kensei, and Hisagi phase into the room. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Michibane sets her quill down while continuing to comb her hair. The three Shinigami remain still, watching her with suspicion. To their surprise, the candles strewn across the chamber gradually dim and extinguish until only one remains lit beside Michibane. Illuminated like a Rembrandt painting, she grins as her comb scrapes through a crunchy cluster in her tresses.</span>
</p><p>
  <iframe></iframe>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Good evening, gentlemen,” she coos. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui shoots an impressed look to Kensei, who responds with a frown. He doesn’t like being proven wrong.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So you can sense us?” Kensei murmurs. “Big whoop.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Your skepticism is adorable, Muguruma Kensei,” Michibane replies with a soft smile. “From what I can tell, skepticism is all that defines you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kensei blanches. <em>How does she know my name</em>? he wonders.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What my comrade is trying to say is that you are not the first human to detect Shinigami,” Shunsui finesses, hands in pockets. “That said, it’s a remarkable gift. I didn’t quite catch your name?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Michibane Aura,” she answers. “Pleasure to finally meet you, Kyōraku Shunsui.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui raises his brows. <em>What an odd girl</em>, he thinks. “How do you know who we are?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I knew you the moment you set foot on my island,” Michibane replies. “I would refer to you as captains, but I am not a Shinigami, am I?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Did someone give you intel on us?” Kensei asks, hands on hips.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No,” Michibane chuckles softly. “I already know you intimately. I need no further context than your very presence.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>What the hell is this woman? </em>Hisagi wonders.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I am merely a human, Hisagi Shūhei,” Michibane answers, stroking the comb through her hair with sensual relish. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui and Kensei, having not heard a peep from Hisagi since they entered the room, look to him quizzically. The lieutenant is pale as a sheet: he can’t account for how Michibane knew his thoughts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t be modest,” Shunsui suggests, turning his attention back to the blind woman. “You must be exceptional if you already know so much about Shinigami. You also must be exceptional if you can write while… being unable to see?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How observant of you,” Michibane brightens, plucking up her journal and brandishing it. “I cannot make use of my eyes – that’s true. But I possess a far greater sight.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui looks back at the ream of journals arrayed behind Michibane, making a mental note of them. Kensei huffs with annoyance, having had enough with the woman’s coyness. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Look, we appreciate your… <em>appreciation</em> of Soul Society,” Kensei says. “But we’d really like to know who told you –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“– It is not a matter of appreciation,” Michibane interjects. “What I exercise is profound understanding. That is why my Tengokuyoken follow me: because I see what no other human can – the life beyond death.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s not an answer,” Kensei grits. “I’ve seen a lot of weird shit, sweetheart, but I haven’t seen a human guess at Soul Society’s existence based on a hunch.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Stop questioning <em>how </em>and begin wondering <em>why</em>, Muguruma Kensei,” Michibane replies. “I have been blessed with visions of the afterlife, and I share my findings with my disciples. That is the greatest gift a shepherd can bestow upon her flock. Don’t you wish you had the foresight to prepare your subordinate for <em>her end</em>?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kensei’s eyes narrow.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You loved Kuna Mashiro like a sister, didn’t you?” Michibane inquires. “But… that’s not quite accurate, is it? After all, who in their right mind would feel such impure thoughts towards their sister?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kensei turns pink with fury, grasping the hilt of Tachikaze. Shunsui claps a hand over his, followed by a discouraging head shake.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We came here merely to ask you questions,” Shunsui tells Michibane. “There’s no reason to provoke us.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And how would I provoke you, Kyōraku Shunsui?” Michibane muses, savoring her every syllable. “The freshest wound is the shame you feel for impaling your comrade, Ukitake Jūshirō. You never intended to harm him, of course, but he has never been the same since, has he?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui’s jaw clenches tight.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But that’s not what truly ails you,” Michibane murmurs, leaning forward and propping her elbows upon the table. “No, that is but a drop in the sorrow you wallow in. How burdened you are beneath the surface, Kyōraku Shunsui. Regret crushes you with the weight of the sea. How terrible that you blame yourself for Kada’s death. You never asked to be a witness of his demise…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kensei and Hisagi look to Shunsui, whose expression is very much out of character: absolutely infuriated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Perhaps we should make our leave,” the Eighth Division Captain suggests through gritted teeth. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You can’t leave just yet,” Michibane protests with a demure smile. “Shūhei has yet to ask his question. How it burns within him – he won’t be able to sleep without posing it.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui and Kensei look to Hisagi, who indeed has a question.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Has Tokinada made contact with you?” the lieutenant asks, ignoring the irate glare from his captain.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Michibane runs the comb through her hair one last time, then sets it down. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How dare you not grant him his proper title,” she seethes. “Has <em>Tenrai-chō</em> Tsunayashiro spoken to me? An insolent question, begetting a condescending answer. He has not, yet I hear him through my foresight. His vision is mine, and together we see a more prosperous Soul Society.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You sound like you’re in love with him,” Hisagi observes.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Love</em>?” Michibane spits back, insulted. “What an infantile way to describe respect. I expect nothing less from a subordinate who clings to the convenient fiction of Tōsen Kaname.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi blanches, completely unnerved by the accusation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you really believe you can justify your lingering idolization of him?” Michibane gleefully presses. “Have you deluded yourself into believing that you will have a restful night once you have dissected his madness? His death is not what haunts you; it is your deep-seated belief that the traitor who molded you must have been a good man. Isn’t that right?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I thank you for your time, Michibane Aura,” Shunsui concludes. “You have been a most unpleasant encounter. Goodnight!”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The three Shinigami trudge into the jungle, the Tengokuyoken village looming behind them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I coulda lopped her mouthy head right from her shoulders if you hadn’t stopped me, Kyōraku,” Kensei grits. “That she-devil had it coming.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It would have been a messy affair,” Shunsui laments. “She’s no ordinary human.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No shit!” Kensei barks back.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You misunderstand me; that woman had immense power emanating from her,” Shunsui clarifies.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What power?” Kensei asks, confused. “I didn’t sense any Reiatsu –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It wasn’t Reiatsu I was worried about,” Shunsui interrupts. “Her Reikyō was as radiant as a sunrise.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Reikyō?” Hisagi repeats, unfamiliar with the term.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That woman is a Fullbringer,” Shunsui replies. “And by far the most powerful I’ve ever encountered.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>KARAKURA TOWN - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b></span>The XCution van careens through the back alleys of Karakura Town, zipping along at dangerous speed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ginjō, darling, will you please come to a stop?” Jackie advises from the passenger seat. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō swerves behind a dumpster and kills the ignition, sitting back flustered. He looks behind him, gazing at Ichigo, Tatsuki, and Riruka through the slot. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He said his name was Tsukishima, huh?” he asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes,” Tatsuki nods. “That name mean anything to you?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō punches the steering wheel, the van bleating a loud honk. He sighs, trying to regain his composure. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Back to headquarters,” he orders, referring to the dollhouse bolted in the trunk. “Now.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Giriko leans over Ichigo, casting a <b>Tanshin no Tokei </b>condition to spur his recovery. The Strawberry’s eyes are sunken and focused, hanging on Ginjō’s every syllable.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“His name is Tsukishima Shūkurō,” Ginjō recounts, leaning from couch and visibly shaken. “A couple years back, he ran with a gang of Fullbringer mercenaries led by a particularly ruthless master. They hunted and killed their own kind so they could sell off the totems. When his master was killed, he went into hiding, waiting to enact his revenge. He is why we take all these precautions to avoid exposure.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s why you keep your hideout in the back of a car?” Ichigo queries. “What’s he got against you?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō looks up to meet Ichigo’s gaze.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m the one who killed his master,” he answers. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What did he do to Chad, Ginjō?” Tatsuki asks, her brow wrinkled with anxiety. “We saw Tsukishima’s sword pass right through him, and then suddenly he was on his side. It was like mind control.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tsukishima doesn’t force anyone to do his bidding,” Ginjō explains, his voice nearly quavering. “That’s what makes him so terrifying. His Fullbring is called <b>Honmatsu</b> (Book of the End). If he so chooses, his blade will not cut a target, but instead pass through them. In that one instant, he can ‘comprehend’ all of his victim’s memories, and insert himself wherever he pleases. In Chad’s mind, everything Ichigo accomplished was actually done by Tsukishima. He has rewritten Chad’s memory to convince him that his friendship with you, Ichigo, is his friendship with him.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo’s fists tighten, his jaw set tight. Tatsuki looks at Ginjō with an expression of profound terror. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He can convince anyone he is their best friend, their mentor, even their family,” Ginjō continues. “If he gets to any one of us, he could tear XCution apart from within.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There is a long, pregnant silence in the lounge. Giriko and Jackie brood while Riruka squeezes icing onto a tray of cupcakes she stress-baked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If he’s in Karakura Town, then he’s come here for us,” Ginjō concludes. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He gets up from the couch and paces around, thinking deeply. He fishes out his phone, flips it open, types out a text and sends. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Who did you just contact, darling?” Jackie asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Our intermediary with Adoka,” Ginjō replies. “I told him to move up the sale to tomorrow.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“WHAT?!” Riruka exclaims, dropping her fresh cupcakes. The tray clatters onto the floor, the confections splattering. “We had three extra nights of training and you just reduced them to one, dumbass!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We have to act immediately,” Ginjō grits. “The sooner we stay in Karakura Town, the more time we give Tsukishima to make his move. Tomorrow we get the totems and then we disappear. Leave Japan entirely.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What about Chad?” Tatsuki protests.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tsukishima only turned him to get to us,” Ginjō reasons. “We’re all he’s after: when he realizes we’ve gone, he’ll get bored and release Chad. Engaging him directly is too dangerous.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But wait, Ginjō, the whole plan hinges on me being able to convince Adoka I’m Dākumūn, right?” Ichigo pipes up nervously. “How am I supposed to do that as I am now?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō shoots Ichigo an incredulous look. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You can’t,” he replies. “Which is why we need to fully awaken your Fullbring tonight.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima slots his key into the door and opens it. He, Chad, and Shishigawara stumble into his home. There is a bowl of soba noodles on the kitchen table.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Shūkurō?” Tsukishima’s mother calls from the other room. She enters the main hallway, surprised to see guests.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> “Oh, you’ve brought home friends! I wish you’d told me beforehand; I would have made dinner for all of you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll cook dinner for everyone, mother,” Tsukishima smiles. “My treat.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The bookish lad turns to Shishigawara with cold eyes.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Shishi, help Yasutora pop his arm back into place. It’s the least you can do for our new friend.”</span>
</p><p class="p4"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>SOUL SOCIETY - ONE HOUR LATER<br/></b></span> <b>THE GREAT SPIRITS LIBRARY - UKITAKE’S OFFICE<br/></b> <span class="s1">Ukitake shifts uncomfortably in his wheelchair, giving a concerned look to Hisagi and Shunsui across his desk. Captain Sajin Komamura is also present, pacing nervously around the office.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you know the name of this island?” Ukitake asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Saikuropusua,” Shunsi recalls. “Saikuropusua Isle. I made a discrete inquiry with SDRI, and they said it’s had some unusually high Hollow activity over the years.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“This is an uncomfortable situation, Shūhei,” Ukitake laments. “You say that your captain forbade you from including this venture in your report?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He said it was off the record, Captain,” Hisagi answers nervously. “I figured that even if I couldn’t file it formally in writing, I could at least tell you myself.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not here to hijack Shūhei’s investigation, but I figured he could use me to back up his account,” Shunsui adds. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You should not have gone there,” Komamura shakes his head, continuing to pace around. “You were not given permission to investigate the Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But Captain Komamura, what if he’s inextricably linked to Tōsen’s betrayal?” Hisagi poses, braving through his fears of speaking out of turn. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You have no proof of that, Shūhei,” Ukitake gently chides. “The connection you’ve established between them is tenuous at best. As for this Fullbringer: it is best that we leave her be.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But sir!” Hisagi presses, prompting a rueful look from Shunsui. “Forgive me for shouting, Captain, but what we saw on that island seemed dangerous.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“They are humans, Hisagi,” Ukitake counters. “Even if they wished Soul Society ill — which by the sounds of it they do not — they have no means of entering our realm and they pose no direct threat to the Balance of Souls. We have no cause to interfere.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Everything I have seen about the Tenrai-chō is nefarious, Captain Ukitake,” Hisagi continues, his hunch overriding his prudence. “This cult that worships his name, the destruction of Kakyō’s records, the slaying of his entire family –“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What are you implying, Shūhei?” Komamura asks irritably.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Isn’t it convenient that he was the sole survivor?” Hisagi questions, his voice rising. “An entire Shisonka line purged, ridding him of any threats to his seat of power?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Careful now, Shūhei,” Shunsui tut-tuts with his characteristically laidback tone. “This is not public knowledge, but we already know who was responsible for assassinating the Tsunayashiro family. It was a revenge plot orchestrated by a disgruntled brother. He believed he had claim to head the Tsunayashiro House and felt cheated. Tokinada was the primary target; he merely survived because he was the most guarded among them.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That is highly classified information, Kyōraku,” Komamura frowns, his golden eyes shining with indignation. “Not even lieutenants are allowed to know that.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well then, let’s pretend I didn’t say anything,” Shunsui laughs, blushing mischievously. “I just don’t want him investigating dead ends.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If you do not drop your interest in the Tenrai-chō, Shūhei, then I’m afraid your investigation will be closed altogether,” Ukitake warns. “If anyone outside of this room found out you were making inquiries into Tokinada, you would be severely reprimanded.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi bites his lip until it draws blood. He can’t contain his frustration.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why… why are we protecting him?!” he shouts, unable to keep it in. “I don’t care if he’s royalty. If he’s broken the law, then –”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“– He <em>is</em> Soul Society’s law, Shūhei!” Komamura snaps, inadvertently baring his fangs in a snarl. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi falls silent, gazing at Komamura with eyes full of hurt. He’s never seen this side of the captain before.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I am living proof of what happens when Shinigami cross the Shisonka!” Komamura continues to bellow, pointing to his Lycan appearance.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ukitake and Shunsui look at their fellow captain sympathetically, both of them reflecting on one of the uglier chapters in the Seireitei’s history. Komamura sees the emotion in Hisagi’s eyes and softens. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Please, Shūhei,” the wolf sighs. “We are trying to help you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There is an awkward silence as Hisagi tries to collect himself.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We will begin again tomorrow, when you can investigate new leads,” Ukitake concludes with a wistful smile. “We will not discuss the Tenrai-chō again, but I will request SDRI to monitor this Saikuropusua Isle going forward. Return to your barracks, Lieutenant Hisagi.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi nods resignedly and leaves. Komamura, looking ashamed of himself, also departs, leaving Ukitake and Shunsui in awkward silence. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s a good egg, that Shūhei,” Shunsui smiles. “Reminds me of us back in the day.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s what will get him into trouble,” Ukitake worries. “It was my own idealism that created this mess.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shunsui casts his friend a suspicious look.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do you still wonder what really happened?” he asks. “When you were forced to shutter the Fullbring Division?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ukitake’s ponders the question, his eyes glassy with regret.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p3"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi trudges out through the entrance of the Great Spirits Library, feeling completely defeated. None of this sits right with him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>If we’re all bound to serve someone like that</em>, <em>then what good is our Law?</em> he wonders.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, Lieutenant Hisagi!” Hanatarō Yamada greets sweetly, carrying a stack of books. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, hello, Hanatarō,” Hisagi replies respectfully, caught off guard. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The two Shinigami stand awkwardly before the tower’s entrance, smiling politely at each other.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I was just returning some healing manuals I checked out,” Hanatarō explains, motioning down to his collection of tomes. “Can never study too much, you know?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Very true,” Hisagi smiles, genuinely this time. “Angling to become Lieutenant someday?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, me?” Hanatarō blushes. “I wouldn’t go that far. Lieutenant Kotetsu would be a hard act to follow. But if I can be the best co-third seat I can be, that’d be worth all the effort.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi reflects on this for a beat, recalling something.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You know, I met you brother the other day,” he shares. “Seinosuke? He didn’t seem to share your attitude.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hanatarō turns pale. He averts his eyes, staring sensitively at the ground. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, I haven’t seen my brother in a while,” he admits. "Not since he left the Gotei.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, I’m sorry,” Hisagi says. “Well, for what it’s worth, he seemed happy to serve under the Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s what he always wanted,” Hanatarō reflects. “To be closer to political power. He told me he’d rather be remembered in history as a Tenrai-chō’s servant than as a captain’s lackey.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Something clicks in Hisagi’s mind. He gasps, seizing upon a new idea. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you okay, Lieutenant?” Hanatarō asks. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m great,” Hisagi mumbles, mentally mapping out his next move. “Thank you, Hanatarō!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The lieutenant turns and runs back into the library, leaving Hanatarō completely baffled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um… you’re welcome?”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi dashes through the hallways of the Great Library, grabbing the first clerk he sees.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I need you to take me to a particular archive,” he says urgently. “Where do you keep records on servants to nobility?”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b>WORLD OF THE LIVING - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b></span> <b>XCUTION HEADQUARTERS<br/></b><span class="s1">Ichigo pants, a deep slash carved into his shoulder and another gash running along his brow. His Fullbring flickers around him, curling swaths of black. He is in a perfectly blank surrounding, everything around him a pristine white.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō stands before him, his enormous broadsword in hand. He’s barely broken a sweat. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I had Riruka knock up this dollhouse as a final training ground for Tatsuki,” the XCution leader muses. “Free of frills. No distractions, just two opponents battling to the death.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“To the death?” Ichigo repeats, breathing heavily. “My life’s on the line, huh?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If you can’t play the role tomorrow, I don’t get my friends’ totems back,” Ginjō grits. “I’d sooner push you to the brink of death than accept that.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You expect me to put my life on the line when you won’t even lift a finger to help Chad?” Ichigo counters. “Are you that scared of Tsukishima?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō cocks an eyebrow, gripping the elongated guard of his sword with both hands.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If I can avoid Tsukishima, I will,” he says, readying to pounce. “You think I’d risk my crew?!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He bounds forward, swinging his heavy sword down. Ichigo parries meekly, struggling to keep up with his successive strikes. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re fighting like a loser!” Ginjō cries out, hacking away at Ichigo’s shadowy blade with aggressive disdain. “And it’s not just because your power’s still pathetic! You lost your warrior spirit along with your Shinigami powers, didn’t you?! Is that who you are at the end of the day, Ichigo? A child who folds when he’s dealt a bum hand?!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo roars back, his wispy armor flaring as he strikes at Ginjō’s blade with enough force to knock him back a yard. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you someone who abandons your friends when things get perilous, Ginjō?” Ichigo challenges. “Chad’s a member of XCution just like the others. He promised to help you. Are you going to turn your back on him?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ginjō’s temple pulses as he heaves his broadsword back, charging it with a current of heavy Reikyō. He swings forward, a curtain of lime-hued energy surging towards Ichigo. The Strawberry braces himself and charges ahead into the onslaught, the attack igniting in a catastrophic boom. He leaps from the smoke, bloodied and charred, and swings at Ginjō, who meets his strike. They glare at each other, swords trembling in a battle of wills.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You talk a big game about protecting your own, but you’re still willing to leave a man behind,” Ichigo grits, steely determination in his eyes. “I thought you had honor, Ginjō!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The XCution leader, provoked, exerts his power and pushes Ichigo back. He plunges his massive blade down, the point spearing into Ichigo’s foot. The Strawberry screams in agony, nearing his limit. He thrusts up his sword in retaliation, only for Ginjō to catch the edge in his hand. The black katana hisses as it grinds against flesh.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re one to talk,” Ginjō seethes. “After you lost control over your destiny, you turned your back on your family and friends. I brought Chad and Tatsuki back to you. Before me, you retreated into yourself, content to go through life a coward. Is that honorable, Ichigo?! Is that what makes a man?!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo writhes in fury and pain, raging against Ginjō’s confrontational scorn. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not a coward!” he yellls.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Prove it!” Ginjō barks back. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo lets out a primal scream, his armor illuminating with white light. The luminescence reflects off Ginjō’s eyes. Suddenly, both combatants are bathed in a pulse of energy, the dollhouse trembling around them. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo falls to his knees, his armor transformed. The shadow has cohered into a solid, bone-white skeletal suit laid over black, a guard cross-hatched from his cheeks to the bridge of his nose. His sword has transformed too, taking on the rigid form of a machete, it’s guard the Substitute Shinigami badge itself. Ichigo looks up at Ginjō, who smiles down at him. The Xcution leader releases the edge of the blade, his palm dripping with blood. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sorry for the harsh words; it was the only way,” Ginjō admits. “You've done good, kid.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo inspects himself, feeling the familiar intensity of his power returning. It's like being hugged by an old friend.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You persuaded me, by the way,” Ginjō adds. “Help me reclaim my friends’ totems, and I promise you I will help get Chad back. I swear… on my honor.”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Is there anything I can make for you boys?” Tsukishima’s mother asks the trio. “Dessert, maybe?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re fine, mother,” Tsukishima sighs, patting his stomach. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ichigo…” Chad murmurs to himself, drawing Tsukishima and Shishigawara’s gazes. “I don’t know what got into him today. I’m sorry he attacked you, Tsukishima-san.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s fine, Yasutora,” Tsukishima waves him off. “He’s always been the jealous type. Go get some rest on the couch. We have a big day tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Chad nods and leaves the kitchen. Shishigawara sets his plate aside, staring solemnly at his master.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m ready to face the consequences for my actions today, sensei,” he declares. “I understand if you want to take my life tonight. It would be an honor to be killed by you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima, dabbing a napkin to his lips, looks at Shishigawara with confusion. After an awkward beat, he remembers.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ah yes, your punishment,” he recalls. “Alright, well… do the dishes to atone, Shishi.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He slides out of his chair and gives Shishigawara a pat on the back, slinking off to read. Shishigawara watches him leave, completely dumbfounded.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well, that was dramatic,” Riruka remarks, watching as Giriko applies another time condition to hasten Ichigo’s healing. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We got the job done,” Ginjō replies. “We now have everything we need to pull this off. Go home and get some sleep, Ichigo. We need you rested for tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jackie looks to Tatsuki, detecting her nervousness.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t worry, darling,” she says in a soothing tone, patting the girl’s shoulder. “We’ve already rehearsed what we need to do. You’ll be smashing tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki smiles, giving a newly confident nod.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo looks more animated than he’s been in a long time, his eyes wide as he takes in all the stimuli flooding into him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I feel… damn good,” he smiles.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“As you should, Master Kurosaki,” Giriko affirms. “You have matured your Fullbring – with that comes a return to your full spiritual awareness. You are now as attuned to all of the spiritual residue surrounding us as you were before.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alright, time to drive you both home,” Riruka announces.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I want to walk, if that’s alright,” Ichigo requests.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo strides down the streets of Karakura Town with renewed vigor, only six blocks from his house. He feels a familiar sensation – a twinge of manageable dread. Halting in his tracks, he looks to his left, spying a Hollow trudging a block over. Twenty feet in height and sporting a demonic mask, the beast lets out a low growl as it aimlessly wanders for souls to feed upon. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo smiles, reaching into his back pocket and grasping his Shinigami Badge. The ribbed musculature of his Fullbring wraps around him, his body emanating crackling Reikyō.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Hollow rears its head in his direction, its massive jaw parting to salivate. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I am the Substitute Shinigami of Karakura Town,” Ichigo whispers to himself, feeling his lust for battle reigniting. “You’re in my jurisdiction, Hollow.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The beast starts stomping towards him, outstretching its claws. Ichigo leaps up in a graceful pulse of Bringer-Light, grasping the hilt of the sword strapped to his back. He draws his blade and cleanly bisects the Hollow, landing behind it as it dissipates into fine particles. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Seized with a rush that he has not felt in nearly two years, Ichigo beams at the edge of his sword. His machete contracts back into a badge, his armor evaporating along with it. Satisfied, he turns and continues his way home.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Karin watches her brother stride down the street from a rooftop. Clad in her Shinigami Shihakushō, she is shocked after watching her supposedly powerless brother take down the Hollow she had been tailing. </span>
</p><p class="p1">"What have you been up to, big brother?"</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  
</p><p>
  <iframe></iframe>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. THE LOST AGENT: Justice Is Shrine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/><br/><br/><br/>  <iframe></iframe></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> <b><br/></b> </span> <span class="s1"> <b>SAIKUROPUSUA ISLE - THE MORNING AFTER CHAD'S ABDUCTION<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">Miyata Setsuko wriggles on the ground, tussling back and forth between the grip of two of her fellow <b>Tengokuyoken</b>. They are both women, their expressions hollowed out and complexions pale, placidly gripping Miyata's arms and prying them apart, their feet pressing to the back of her legs to make her prostrate before Aura Michibane.</span></p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"Please, Lady Aura, listen to me!" Miyata howls, her eyes manic. "I swear, my heart belongs to you! I think only of my service to you! Please believe me!"</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"I don't have to <em>believe</em> anything, Miyata," Michibane replies in the calmest of whispers, kneeling down to level with her panicking acolyte. "I <em>know</em> what gives you pause. That lingering wisp of doubt clawing from the back of your mind. It grows louder every day, to the point that it has offended my ears."</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Miyata violently shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"It's not true!" she pleads. "I beg of you, believe in my gratitude and my loyalty! Please, Lady Aura..."</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Michibane cranes forward, bringing her lips to Miyata's ear. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"You miss your daughter, Chiharu, don't you?" the blind woman asks, her silky voice supple with sympathy. "After all this time, she has returned to the forefront of your thoughts, beckoning you to return home. It is nothing to be ashamed of, Miyata. Daughters are the most difficult worldly things to cast aside. I feel the same pangs of yearning whenever my own children stray from the path..."</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Michibane grasps Miyata’s chin, holding her wriggling face still.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"Confess your doubts, Miyata," Michibane commands. "Confess, and you will be cleansed with forgiveness."</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Miyata sniffles, looking down at the amateurish pendant wreathed around her neck — her totem. It was made by her daughter, Chiharu. She curses the modest-but-lovingly-made jewelry, blaming the memory imbued within it for betraying her. Shutting her eyes tight, she summons the courage to confess.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"I... I have doubted you, Lady Aura," the acolyte admits, shuddering when the words escape her lips. "I have blasphemed in my heart. Forgive… forgive me."</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Michibane smiles, clasping the confessed sinner's face with both palms. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"It takes the greatest resolve to admit when we have stumbled, Miyata," the Fullbringer whispers, planting a kiss on her weeping acolyte’s sweaty forehead. "Sako, Sonoda… bring Miyata to her feet."</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Michibane rises to her full height, slowly untying the sheathe of cloth wrapped around her eyes. Miyata’s pupils narrow in abject terror. She lets out a hysterical screech when Sako and Sonoda haul her up to meet their master’s gaze.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"No!" Miyata screams. "Forgive me, Lady Aura. Please! I renounce Chiharu! I renounce my daughter for you! Don’t do this to me, please! Forgive me!”</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">The rest of the Tengokuyoken labor outside in the fields, the sound of Miyata's screams emanating from Michibane's hut. There is a green, sickening flash that illuminates the structure, and Miyata's cries cease altogether. No one looks up from their work to take notice, all of them passively continuing to till the volcanic soil.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Michibane kneels down and presses her fingers to Miyata’s pendant, feeling its rough grooves. She grasps the totem and rips it from the dead woman’s throat. Miyata is no longer recognizable, her eye-sockets reduced to two smoking craters the size of coins. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">"Sako, prepare Miyata for the pyre," Michibane orders, turning away from them and striding back towards her study. "We will hold a vigil for her tonight."</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Sako, a young woman with brittle black hair and hauntingly vacant blue eyes, nods. She hauls up Miyata's corpse and drags the body away.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s1">Michibane closes her palm over the pendant, squeezing tight as brilliant green light seeps from it and rises up into her nostrils. She inhales all of the Reikyō in one snort and discards the pendant onto her study table. The totem has been sucked dry of its memories – drained of all that made it meaningful.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p6"> </p><p class="p6"><span class="s1"> <b>THE WORLD OF THE LIVING - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1"> <b>TSUKISHIMA'S APARTMENT<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">Shūkurō Tsukishima sits at the kitchen table, adding the final touches to his to-do list. He snaps the petite notebook shut and tucks it into his breast pocket, rising from his chair. </span></p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Shishi, Yasutora, it's time to go,” he announces. He strides by the living room couch where Shishigawara continues to snore away and kicks the furniture to jostle him awake.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, sir!" Shishigawara shouts at attention, stifling a yawn while grabbing his jacket. </span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Chad, already awake and ready, awaits for them by the front door. The three begin to stroll out when Tsukishima's mother emerges from the hallway.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Shūkurō, where are you and your friends going?" she asks. "I haven't made you breakfast, yet."</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Tsukishima halts in his tracks, his lips curling up into a thin smile.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yes, I almost forgot," he says, turning back to look at the woman. "You're not my mother."</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">She shoots him a quizzical look and breaks into an incredulous laugh.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"What does that mean?" she giggles nervously. "Of course I am. What's gotten into –"</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Your son was Nakano," Tsukishima interrupts with a malicious gleam in his eye. "He was killed in a hit-and-run nine months ago. His death left you so distraught that you were stupid enough to let a stranger into your home. All I had to do was ask politely." </span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Na...kano?" the woman stammers. She looks to a picture framed by the kitchen wall: it's a portrait of her and a four-year-old boy smiling together. The boy is her late son.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"But, wait..." she mumbles, bringing a trembling hand to her face. "Nakano... But that's not right. You are my son, Shūkurō. I don't... I don't understand!"</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Take your time trying to disentangle what is real and what is fiction," Tsukishima advises dispassionately. "We're going, now. Thank you for dinner."</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, Shūkurō!" the woman cries after him, falling to her knees and hyperventilating. It feels like her mind is splitting apart as she struggles to reconcile two parallel tracks of memory that are now colliding. "You are my son! Don’t leave me, Shūkurō!"</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">A horrified Shishigawara watches the wailing woman begin to claw at the carpet, her sanity unraveling before his eyes.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Coming, Shishi?" Tsukishima asks icily.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Um... yessir!" Shishigawara nods with a gulp, running out the door and not looking back while the woman's manic screams ring in his ears.</span>
</p><p class="p6"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1"> <b>KUROSAKI HOUSE - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY</b> </span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo cups his palms beneath the flowing faucet and brings the pool of water splashing against his eyes. He bristles at the frigid sting and claps his face several times to fully awake his senses. He sighs, bracing for the day ahead.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Downstairs, Yuzu is cooking some eggs while Isshin thumbs through a newspaper at the kitchen table. Ichigo comes down to join them, wordlessly opening up the fridge to grab a carton of orange juice. </span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">“Good morning, big brother!” Yuzu greets him merrily. “Today’s the big day, huh?”</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?!" Ichigo looks at her bug-eyed, his paranoia flaring. "Who told you?!"</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Orihime is returning tonight, isn't she?" Yuzu asks, baffled by her brother’s standoffishness. </span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1"><em>Oh, shit</em>, Ichigo thinks. He completely forgot. Yuzu and Isshin study his face, horrified by his surprise.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Idiot!" Isshin roars, leaping up from his chair and clocking his son over the head. "How dare you forget the grand return of your beloved!"</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo nurses the lump sprouting from his shock of orange hair, not disagreeing with his father's condemnation. </span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Ow ow ow... no harm done, alright?” he grimaces. “I’ll meet her at the train station tonight, just as planned… Where's Karin?"</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, she went on ahead; said she wanted to get to school early today," Yuzu answers wistfully. "It's not like her to leave me behind..."</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo feels his heart sink, recognizing Yuzu’s loneliness for the first time in a long time. He claps a hand on her shoulder, smiling softly.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">“Here’s an idea: how about you, me, and Orihime go to the park this weekend?" he proposes. “Just the three of us?”</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Yuzu looks up at her brother apprehensively, as if she's afraid to hope that his promise will come to pass. She manages a smile and nods. </span>
</p><p class="p5"> </p><hr/><p class="p6"><span class="s1"> <b>TOKYO - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1"> <b>THE NATIONAL DEBATE FINALS<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">An audience of hundreds murmur amongst themselves and sporadically snap pictures while the two remaining finalist teams wait patiently for the deciding round. The moderator, dressed in an ill-fitting tux with a garish bowtie, clears his throat and speaks into a microphone.</span></p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">“We have come to the final round, when we will finally decide who will be the 2005 National Debate Champions,” he announces. “Here is the final question: If Japanese authorities were forced to choose between conserving the coral reefs of the Izu Peninsula or those of Tanegashima Island, which should they prioritize? The Sapporo High School Team shall argue on behalf of Izu while Karakura Town shall argue on behalf of Tanegashima Island. You have thirty seconds to determine your representative speaker.”</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Orihime Inoue is practically bursting out of her chair, rocking back and forth excitedly while jutting up her hand, raising it insistently.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">“Inoue, you don’t need to raise your hand, you can just say you want to take this one,” the Karakura team leader says with secondhand embarrassment. </span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">“Can I, please?” Orihime asks, eyes wide and hopeful.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Her teammates all concur, knowing full well that Inoue is their secret weapon. She takes to the podium and is nearly bubbling with excitement while waiting patiently for the opposing team speaker to finish making their case for saving the Izu Peninsula’s coral reef.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">“And that’s time,” the moderator announces, turning his attention to Inoue. “Team Karakura, you have the floor.”</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Orihime has become blue in the face. She leans forward and lets out a long, dramatic exhale. Her teammates blush with mortification.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">“Was she seriously hold her breath in anticipation that whole time?” one of them murmurs, aghast.</span>
</p><p class="p6">
  <span class="s1">Orihime sucks back in air and regains her voice, leaning forward again and sounding off shockingly eloquent oratory, not missing a syllable as she determinedly makes her case.</span>
</p><p class="p6"><span class="s1">“The Karakura Team would argue, with all due respect to the prudent environmental factors listed by our competitors from Sapporo, that the Tanegashima Island Archipelago must be protected first and foremost as a simple matter of arithmetic! The Izu Peninsula Peninsula is home for up to 40 varieties of fauna — all of them undeniably pretty — whereas Tanegashima Island houses up to 150 varieties! That’s 110 more varieties of pretty things! Or 3.75 times as many types of cute coral fauna. </span> <span class="s2">Think of the </span> <span class="s3">Euphyllia Paraglabrescens and the Acropora Tanegashimensis, two awfully adorable treasures of nature endemic only to Tanegashima! There are no favorites when it comes to adorability – they are all equally precious. Would you rather save 150 precious things or just 40? I rest my case! Thank you.”</span></p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">Orihime has gone blue in the face again, not having paused to take a breath during her impassioned spiel. She sucks in another gasp of air and fans herself, completely exhausted. The entire auditorium has been stunned into silence. Orihime wordlessly returns to her team and takes a seat. </span>
</p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">The audience breaks out into rapturous applause, attendees rising up in their seats to give a standing ovation.</span>
</p><p class="p10"> </p><hr/><p class="p13"> </p><p class="p13">
  <span class="s1">The Karakura Team bursts out of the auditorium cheering, hoisting Orihime up like she’s crowdsurfing. She blissfully brandishes the National Champions trophy.</span>
</p><p class="p13">
  <span class="s1">“Now let’s catch the first train back home!” Orihime proclaims, bouncing up and down atop her peers like she’s on a trampoline.</span>
</p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">“Somebody’s in a hurry to leave Tokyo,” one of the debate teammates remarks.</span>
</p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">“Oh, y’know how Inoue is,” another giggles. “She can’t wait to get back to her boy toy.”</span>
</p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">Orihime smiles. It’s true – she can’t wait to get back to the man she loves.</span>
</p><p class="p9"> </p><hr/><p class="p15"> </p><p class="p10"><span class="s1"> <b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1"> <b>SEVENTH DIVISION BARRACKS - KOMAMURA’S QUARTERS<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">“Captain, you have a visitor!” Tetsuzaemon Iba announces through the shōji. </span></p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">Sajin Komamura looks up from his readings, his pointed ears perking up. </span>
</p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">“Who is it?”</span>
</p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">“Your father,” Tesuzaemon answers in a hushed voice.</span>
</p><p class="p10">
  <span class="s1">Sajin’s golden eyes shimmer. He nods and rises from the floor. </span>
</p><p class="p10"> </p><hr/><p class="p12"> </p><p class="p16"><span class="s4">Sugai Komamuram, the head of Tokinada’s Shikōtai Guard, strides through the Seventh Division barracks’ courtyard. His armor, the spitting image of </span> <span class="s5">Kokujō Tengen Myō’ō,</span> <span class="s1"> unsettles the Shinigami cadets. They regard his burgundy spaulders and veiled helmwith nervous fascination, wondering why he looks just like their captain’s Bankai giant.</span></p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Captain Sajin patiently waits in front of his quarters, watching his father approach.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Shikōtai Komamura,” he greets with a reverent nod.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Let us speak inside, Sajin,” Sugai replies, walking past his son with businesslike brusqueness.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin follows his father into his quarters and closes the shōji behind him. Sugai removes his helmet, revealing a lycan face beneath. He has the visage of a wolf just like his son, his pointed ears gnarled and fur a peppered silver. He gazes back at his kin with blue steel eyes, his snout wrinkled with age. Captain Sajin is surprised by how powerful it feels to behold his father’s face again. It’s been many years since he’s seen him unmasked.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“So you no longer hide your face from your comrades?” Sugai comments with a gravelly, rumbling voice.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“That’s right,” Sajin replies. “I am no longer ashamed, father.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sugai’s black lips turn up into a warm smile. He claps his hefty, mailed paw onto his son’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“That’s good, Sajin,” he says. “Your proud visibility is a credit to us all.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin smiles back, heartened by his father’s approval. He claps a paw over his father’s and squeezes it sweetly. </span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Thank you, father.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I have not come here to congratulate you, however,” Sugai continues. “I am here to warn you about Hisagi Shūhei.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin’s happy expression drops, his eyes turning forlorn. He feels ashamed for yelling at Hisagi the night beforehand.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I spoke harshly to him,” he admits. “I regret it, father. He did not deserve my scorn.” he admits.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Yes, he did,” Sugai grunts. “We know that his ‘investigation’ has become an inquisition of the Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō. That is unacceptable.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin looks at his father with surprise, wondering if he somehow knows about Hisagi’s visit to Saikuropusua Isle.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I have warned him, father,” the captain asserts. “He will not scrutinize Tokinada any further.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“You truly believe that?” Sugai snorts skeptically. “He was mentored by a traitor, and now he has the temerity to question our master’s character?”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin feels a painful pang of discomfort. He doesn’t know how to react when his father talks this way: speaking as if they <em>both</em> serve the Tsunayashiro.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Tokinada is your master, not mine,” he pushes back. “I serve the Gotei.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sugai frowns at his son, his eyes narrowing into a disapproving gaze that could crack glass.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Need I remind you of the debt we owe to Tsunayashiro House, Sajin?” Sugai queries ruefully. “Whenever you put that captain’s kimono on your back, remember who made it possible.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin’s ears droop, his eyes darting to the floor to avert his father’s stare. He wistfully reflects on how they came to walk again inside the Seireitei.</span>
</p><p class="p18"> </p><hr/><p class="p19"> </p><p class="p18">
  <span class="s1"> <b>250 YEARS AGO</b> </span>
</p><p class="p18"><span class="s6">S</span> <span class="s1">ajin Komamura, a sheepish pup with mottled fur, gazes nervously down at the dirt. He and his father, Sugai Komamura, are standing before the Western White Road Gate to the Seireitei. Jidanbō Ikkanzaka looms imperiously between them and the towering wall, a squadron of Shinigami apprehensively surrounding them. </span></p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sugai, full of adrenalin, waits patiently. He knew there was a high risk he and his son would be executed on sight when they ventured to Soul Society and approached the Seireitei gates. Jidanbō threatened to crush them when they appeared, and was taken aback when Sugai requested an audience with a Tenrai-chō — any Tenrai-chō. The wolf made his gambit, and now he awaits an answer. If no Tenrai-chō emerges, then it will mean the death of him and Sajin.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">He lets out a sigh of relief when the gates groan and spread open. An elderly, lithe man with clover hair strides out, flanked by his two young, twin sons. They are joined by their Shikōtai guard, Ikkabune Jukuzo, a beefy Shinigami clad in a purple cuirass with the golden bust of an octopus crowning his samurai helmet. </span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sugai drops down and presses his snout into the dirt as the Tenrai-chō approaches.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Sajin, kneel!” he hisses to his son, who follows suit.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">The nobleman and his entourage stride up within five yards of the two wolves, gazing down at them condescendingly. The royal is Tanishita, the sitting Tenrai-chō of Tsunayashiro House. He was the only member of the Shisonka intrigued enough to receive the two outcasts.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Well well, this is an odd surprise,” Tanishita remarks, gazing down at the prostrate father and son. “When I was told that a mongrel had requested my presence, I didn’t know whether to be flattered or laugh.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I am Komamura Sugai — thank you for seeing us, Your Majesty,” Sugai says reverently. “Bless you.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I came here out of morbid curiosity, nothing more,” Tanishita replies. “It’s not every day that traitors come crawling back.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sugai tenses, knowing that his situation is precarious. </span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Yamamoto’s Gotei was not the first Shinigami Order to guard Seireitei. There was an original Gotei that had served the Shisonka for thousands of years. This arrangement frayed 500 years before Yama came to prominence, when the Shinigami began to question why they answered to the nobles, some of them increasingly sympathetic to the Rukongai they were ordered to police. Talk of insurrection festered. When the Shisonka learned of this, they took preemptive action: Squelching the rebellion was as simple as sending a message up to the Royal Realm, where the Great Weave Guardian stitched the hundreds of Gotei officers’ names into one of her tapestries. Overnight, the Shinigami were stricken by a curse, transforming into disfigured beasts.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">If they lingered in the Seireitei, their curse would have progressed until they lost all of their reason and devolved into feral animals. They fled into the Beast Realm, deformed and shamed. Never heard from again.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Until now.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“What is that?” Tanishita asks, pointing at Sajin.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“He is my son, Your Majesty,” Sugai answers.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“You’ve been <em>breeding</em> in your caves?” one of the Tenrai-chō’s sons wretches. “How revolting.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Now, now, Tokinada,” Tanishita tut-tuts his son with a smile. “Let us hear what the mongrel has to say.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">The Tenrai-chō turns his attention back to Sugai.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“You ought to know that stepping into the Seireitei will undo what’s left of your humanity,” the nobleman continues. “Coming all this way required either courage or outright stupidity. What could you possibly want?”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I wish to serve you, Your Majesty,” Sugai answers, looking up at Tanishita with desperate eyes. “I am a warrior who dutifully fought the wars of your forefathers. I have come from the Land of Beasts to humbly beg of you to press me into your service.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Tanishita looks wryly down at the wolf, amused by his obsequiousness.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“The Tenrai-chō already has a servant, mongrel,” Ikkabune interjects curtly, clasping the hilt of his Zanpakutō. “You are not wanted.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Hush, Ikkabune,” Tanishita retorts before returning his gaze to Sugai. “You must want something in return. What is it?”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I ask that my son be allowed into the Seireitei,” Sugai urges, clapping a paw on Sajin’s shoulder. “He has known only the Beast Realm his entire life, and has never seen his homeland. I beg you; allow him to walk the ground of his ancestors and train as a Shinigami. In return, I pledge my undying fealty to your family.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Tanishita eyes the two wolves with mild fascination, mulling the offer over. His Shikōtai guard bristles.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Ignore this exile’s entreaties, Your Majesty,” Ikkabune seethes, drawing his Zanpakutō. “I will put the dog down myself.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Tanishita says nothing while his guardsman strides up to Sugai and readies to cut him down. The sword swings, but Sugai lunges up to meets its edge. Ikkabune gasps when his blade slices halfway through the wolf’s forearm, halting at bone. Before he can retract his weapon, Sugai draws his own Zanpakutō and — with a mighty roar — thrusts it up beneath the guard’s mask, piercing through the soft tissue behind his chin. The point of the katana sprouts from the back of Ikkabune’s helm, stained with blood and brains. Ikkabune lets out a sickening gurgle and falls over, dead as a doornail.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">The Shinigami squadron all draw their swords in unison, readying to retaliate. Tanishita raises a hand, halting them in their tracks.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Well, now that I’m short a bodyguard, I suppose the decision has been made simple,” the Tenrai-chō concludes. “I will confer with my fellow Tenrai-chō and persuade them to amend the curse placed upon your kin. You and your son – and you two alone — shall be allowed to walk again inside the Seireitei. However, your deformities shall remain intact — so that all will know of your shameful lineage.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sugai drops down into a grateful grovel, Ikkabune’s sword still lodged in his forearm.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Thank you, Tenrai-chō,” he whispers, breaking into tears.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Know this: should you ever betray my family — or so much as displease us — the full extent of your curse will be reinstated,” Tanishita conditions. “Your spawn will become a mindless animal and sent back to where you came from. Is that understood?”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sugai nods. “Hai!”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin has kept his head pressed to the ground this entire time, forgetting to breathe while his father negotiates for their future. He doesn’t know how to feel about the derisive Tanishita, but he burns with gratitude. As far back as he can remember, his father had promised to return him to their homeland. And here they now are.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Sajin cranes his snout up to behold his new benefactors. His gaze gravitates to one of the Tenrai-chō’s twin sons, Tokinada. The young heir sneers back at him, lips curled in a malevolent smile. </span>
</p><p class="p17"> </p><hr/><p class="p19"> </p><p class="p18"><span class="s1"> <b>RETURN TO THE PRESENT<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">“Look at me, Sajin.”</span></p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Captain Komamura hesitantly meets his father’s gaze. Father and son regard each with affectionate unease, recognizing in each other a shared pride and sorrow. The memory of that fateful day is still vivid — and painful — for the both of them.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Ensure that the lieutenant remembers his place, Sajin,” Sugai advises. “Or we will remind him ourselves.”</span>
</p><p class="p20"> </p><hr/><p class="p21"> </p><p class="p22"><span class="s1"> <b>EIGHTH DISTRICT OF THE SEIREITEI<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">Gyokaku, an elderly Soul with a hunched-over gait, is methodically watering the plants before his shabby compound, a cramped cluster of apartments tucked away in a nondescript corner of the Seireitei’s Eighth Division District. The building is four stories in height and houses about a hundred Souls, all of them retired servants of nobility. It isn’t luxurious, with ten people to a room and everyone’s personal space confined to a cramped bunk, but it is preferable to living out in the Rukongai. This is how loyal service to families of high station is repaid: claustrophobic housing that is nevertheless located on the right side of the Seireitei’s walls. It may not be much, but the neighborhood is clean and safe.</span></p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku softly coughs while pitching a pail over some fledgling flowers. He has taken it upon himself to water the compound’s plants. He takes a lot of pride in keeping them lush.</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">The old man senses someone approaching, but doesn’t acknowledge them. He just continues to carefully feed the flowers.</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">“Excuse me, ” the stranger addresses him. “Is your name Gyokaku?”</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">“It is,” the old man replies, his voice reedy. </span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">“I am the Lieutenant of Ninth Division, Hisagi Shūhei,” the stranger greets. “I need to speak with you.”</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">“A lieutenant, eh?” Gyokaku mumbles, looking up to regard the spiky-haired, tattooed Shinigami before him. “What does a Gotei lieutenant want with an old man like me?”</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">“You served Hosaji Kakyō, didn’t you?” Hisagi asks tentatively. “And you knew Tōsen Kaname?”</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku’s eyes widen and his grip on the pail begins to waver, water sloshing onto the ground. Hisagi reaches out and gently takes the pail from the old man, gingerly setting it down onto the ground between them. </span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">“I haven’t come to harm you,” Hisagi reassures him. “I need your help.”</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku studies Hisagi uncertainly, his haunted eyes misty.</span>
</p><p class="p22">
  <span class="s1">“How did you find me?”</span>
</p><p class="p21"> </p><hr/><p class="p19"> </p><p class="p16"><span class="s1"> <b>THE WORLD OF THE LIVING - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1"> <b>KARAKURA TOWN<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">Ichigo stands waiting for XCution at the rendezvous point: a back alley without many windows. He agitatedly scratches his left leg with his right foot, waiting for that anonymous, beat-up van to roll up. </span></p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Hey,” Tatsuki says from the other side of the alley, striding up to join him. She has a backpack slung over her shoulder, except it contains an extra outfit instead of books or homework.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Hey,” Ichigo says back, hands dug deep into his pockets. “How’d you sleep?”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“I didn’t,” Tatsuki answers, the dark circles under her eyes attesting to her haggardness. “I spent all night thinking about Chad. Where he is, what he’s thinking… he has me so worried it’s making me sick.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo can’t think of anything reassuring to say, so he just sulks. He wouldn’t have been able to sleep last neither, either, if it weren’t for how exhausted he was after finally unlocking his Fullbring. Despite his placid demeanor, he shares Tatsuki’s same sense of dread: he hasn’t been able to get Chad’s words out of his head.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Do not ask me to choose between you</em>,” Chad had told him after falling under Tsukishima’s spell. “<em>Because if that is the choice, then I choose him</em>.”</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">It wasn’t until he heard those stinging words that Ichigo realized how much he could always rely on Chad having his back, even when he took that for granted. <em>You’ve always been a better friend to me than I’ve been to you, man</em>, Ichigo reflects. <em>I promise I’ll make this right</em>. </span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">The XCution peels out from the corner and roars beside them, screeching to a halt. Ginjō rolls down the window, studying his two recruits.</span>
</p><p class="p16">
  <span class="s1">“Ready or not, get on in,” he orders.</span>
</p><p class="p16"><span class="s1">Little do they know, Karin is spying on them from the abandoned top floor of an adjacent building. Frocked in her </span> <span class="s7">Shinigami Shihakushō</span> <span class="s8">, she discretely watches the interaction through a dirty window.</span></p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1"><em>Okay, so he’s with Tatsuki, but who’s that driving</em>? she thinks while watching her brother climb into the nondescript van. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Karin strains her eyes, unable to see Ginjō’s face from her angle. She can, however, make out the Saltire Cross worn around his neck. She watches the van drive from the alleyway and ponders her next move.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1"><em>Ah, what the hell</em>, she concludes. <em>I guess I’ll ask Urahara what he makes of all this</em>.</span>
</p><p class="p23"> </p><hr/><p class="p24"> </p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Just hold still, wouldya?” Riruka says fussily while helping Ichigo try on his disguise. “Jeeze, who woulda thought your bony butt would be the biggest hurdle to clear?”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Hey, watch it,” Ichigo blushes, feeling self-conscious while Riruka cinches the pants on. He grunts when she tightens the belt to an almost painful degree.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Tatsuki cocks her head, admiring the outfit. Ichigo is now clad in a pearly white ensemble, wearing a gray dress shirt beneath a sleek white jacket with brass buttons and a hood fringed with fur. Tatsuki’s got to hand it to him: he’s got drip.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Alright, now just wear it like this, and then…” Riruka putters, pulling Ichigo’s hood up over his spiky hair and slotting a pair of designer sunglasses onto the bridge of his nose. “There ya go, doll-face.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You look very sharp, Master Kurosaki,” Giriko nods approvingly. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo turns to the mirror to check himself out. He looks cool, much to his relief. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Looks like a convincing <b>Dākumūn</b> to me,” Riruka grins, hands on her hips. “Play the part with confidence, and we may just pull this off.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“What are you gonna call it?” Ginjō asks Ichigo from his plush armchair.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Call what?” Ichigo asks, looking back at the XCution leader.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Your Fullbring,” Ginjō clarifies. “It’s complete now, so you should give it a name.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo ponders the question, adjusting his jacket while he thinks. He arrives at a name almost instinctually.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“<b>Mangetsu</b>,” he answers.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Mangetsu,” Ginjō repeats softly. ”It’ll do.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">He rises up and walks over, meeting Ichigo face-to-face.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s make it official, then,” he says, offering his hand.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Ichigo takes Ginjō’s hand without hesitation and they exchange a hearty handshake.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Welcome to XCution, kid,” Ginjō grins.</span>
</p><p class="p23"> </p><hr/><p class="p26"> </p><p class="p24"><span class="s1"> <b>SOUL SOCIETY - OCCURRING CONCURRENTLY<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1"> <b>THE EIGHTH DISTRICT MARKET<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">Hisagi and Gyokaku walk together in the Eighth Division market, wading incognito through a crowd of shoppers. The old man insisted that they continue their conversation in a highly public place. Hisagi intuited that this was because the retiree did not trust him. Fair enough.</span></p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I cross-referenced the records of servants to nobility going back 200 years,” Hisagi recalls to the old man, explaining how he tracked him down. “The archives listed you as an attendant to the Hosaji family until 150 years ago, when you were transferred to Tsunayashiro House — the same time when Kakyō was wedded to Tokinada. You were her personal attendant, weren’t you?”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You’re quite the detective,” Gyokaku nods. “Yes, I served Lady Kakyō…”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">The old man halts, his wrinkled face scrunching up in reflection. Hisagi is taken aback when he sees a tear streak down his cheek.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Pardon my show of emotion,” Gyokaku whispers. “I have not spoken about her in over a century. She meant a great deal to me.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I understand,” Hisagi nods. “Was she dear to Tosen, too?”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Even more so,” Gyokaku confirms. “Never has someone been so in awe of another as he was of her. I was there when she discovered him in the Rukongai. It was like a mother discovering her child.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Gyokaku, I’m supposed to record our conversation, but this will be strictly off the record,” Hisagi discloses. “Please speak freely — nothing you tell me will be linked back to you. I just… I <em>need</em> to know what led Tōsen astray.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku shoots Hisagi an incredulous look. He looks troubled, as if he were disturbed that someone could possibly be this stupid.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Pardon my saying so, Lieutenant, but if you truly believe that Kaname went <em>astray</em>, then you didn’t really know him at all.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi is stung by the judgment. He forgets himself and lets his indignation shine through.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Of course I knew him!” he snaps back defensively. “I knew him better than anyone — he was my teacher.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You may have known facets of him,” Gyokaku muses. “But the man you called <em>captain</em> was a disguise Kaname assumed to further his true goals. He never betrayed Soul Society — it was always his enemy.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“But… why?” Hisagi asks softly.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku shakes his head, dismayed by Hisagi’s naivety. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Lieutenant, I’m afraid you don’t even know your own world.”</span>
</p><p class="p24"> </p><hr/><p class="p27"> </p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s9">K</span>
  <span class="s1">ākyo was the only daughter amongst Kajodo Hosaji’s four children, and she was pointedly the least loved. A shameless social climber, Kajodo wanted his brood to insinuate themselves into the highest positions of power. He insisted that all of his children be trained as Shinigami and saw to it that his sons joined the Gotei. He was displeased when all three of them proved to be mediocre officers, but nevertheless ignored the promise his daughter demonstrated as a warrior. He had even grander designs for her: to marry into one of the Shisonka families.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō was talented in combat but had a gentle disposition. Perhaps it was because she had known the humiliation of being dismissed or because of innate goodness, but she was a nurturer by nature and held an unusual interest in the Rukongai’s welfare. Her father had little use for her kind heart and was irate with how she wasted his money on philanthropic pursuits, but they eventually came to an understanding: she could continue her charity on the condition that when the time came, she would marry whoever he demanded without protest.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Her servant, Gyokaku, functioned as her true parental figure. Raised in the Rukongai himself, he was realistic — some might say even cynical — about the hierarchal realities of Soul Society, but humored her efforts to provide as much parity to the impoverished as possible. He would beam with pride at her during their expeditions out into the Rukongai’s poorest districts, admiring how she regarded the residents as her equals. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Roughly 200 years ago, Kakyō visited Tōsen House in the West 42nd District, having heard of Ayagari’s good works in providing young, unwanted souls a shelter. She arrived with parcels of clothes made just for the children, and spoke with Ayagari to learn of how Soul Society could help improve conditions in the 42nd District. During her stay, she noticed a blind boy who was curiously attentive to his fellow orphans, operating like an assistant to Ayagari. She took him aside and asked who he was.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Kaname,” the child nervously answered. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Kaname…” Kakyō repeated softly, kneeling down to level with the child. She inspected his gray eyes, recognizing that they saw nothing. “Have you ever been able to see, Kaname?”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“No,” the boy shook his head. “Only darkness, my lady.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“My lady?” Kakyō chuckled. “You’re rather formal, young man.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I can tell… that you’re beautiful,” Kaname said sheepishly. “From the cadence of your voice.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō responded by grasping the child’s hand and bringing it to her face. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“My features feel the same as anyone else’s, Kaname,” she explained. “True beauty lies in our hearts.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kaname cocked his head precociously, offering “Then your heart must be beautiful, too.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō smiled at this. After procuring permission from Ayagari, she brought Kaname back with her to Soul Society. Her father threw a fit, galled that she would spend his money on emigrating a Rukongai child. She used all the leverage she had to convince him to allow the boy to stay in their home.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">The Hosaji family provided for Kaname’s education, but his primary teacher was always Kakyō. Together they would discuss philosophy, law, and how to better the Rukongai’s welfare. Kakyō would do more listening on the latter topic, allowing Kaname to talk at length about how those who resided on the wrong side of the Seireitei’s walls could be better served. His solutions were often idealistic or outright naive, but Kakyō never discouraged him. It was not clear to Gyokaku whether or not the Lady was indulging her pupil’s fantasies or her own.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“What dream do you hold dearest, Lady Kakyō?” Kaname asked her one night, the two of them gazing up at the stars from a hilltop.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“My dream?” Kakyō mused, sincerely considering the question. “A world without bloodshed. Where there is no need of titles, walls, or Zanpakutō.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Can that ever happen, Lady Kakyō?” Kaname asked, completely enraptured. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But it’s a lovely dream, all the same.”</span>
</p><p class="p27"><span class="s10">Kakyō and Kaname’s nights of stargazing together came to an end when Tokinada, the heir apparent of Tsunayashiro House, formally asked </span> <span class="s1">Kajodo Hosaji for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Kajodo, eager to solidify his family’s union with Shisonka royalty, hastily accepted the offer without even consulting her. </span></p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō was initially skeptical of Tokinada, knowing little of him save for his father’s reputation of snobbery. She was taken aback when he presented himself as an eloquent gentleman during a visit to her family manor. After dinner, he managed to steal her away for a tour of the Hosaji household. </span>
</p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">“Your father seems like a fine man, but I’m glad we could find some time alone,” he grinned as they strolled along the parapets, with Gyokaku following at a respectful distance. “Getting to know each other will be much easier without watchful eyes.”</span>
</p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō managed a weak smile, shyly gazing at her feet.</span>
</p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">“My Lord, may I ask you something?” she asked after an awkward silence.</span>
</p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">“What is it?”</span>
</p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">“Why… did you choose me?”</span>
</p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada responded by taking Kakyō’s hand in his, prompting her to blush.</span>
</p><p class="p27">
  <span class="s1">“All my life, I have known only coldness, my lady,” he answered. “When I heard of your generosity, your tender spirit, I knew: here was someone who could show me…”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">He brought her palm up to his cheek. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“… Warmth.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō studied him, admiring his handsome face. She smiled.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">For the next several weeks, Kakyō glowed with excitement for her impending nuptials. She gushed to Kaname of how Tokinada was a kind man — he had even pledged to leverage his family fortune to fund her philanthropy in the Rukongai. Gyokaku had never seen her so happy. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō’s optimism was snuffed out on the night of her wedding. After the vows were shared and husband and wife retired to Seidahatsumei manor, she discovered who Tokinada truly was. He presented her a gift: a servant whose tendons had all been severed. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“What have you done?” Kakyō gasped with horror, rushing to kneel down and comfort the maimed man. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Sugai – restrain her,” Tokinada ordered his personal guard. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō screamed when Sugai Komamura’s powerful paws seized her arms, holding her in place. She struggled in his grip, looking on in horror as Tokinada strode before her with a chalice, pouring it down into the servant’s pried-open mouth. The wretch writhed as wine pooled in his throat and sloshed up into his nostrils. Kakyō swerved away, unable to bear it.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Make sure she sees, Sugai,” Tokinada commanded.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Your Majesty, I –“ Sugai hesitated, his voice quavering.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Do it!” Tokinada hissed, eyes alight with sadistic enjoyment.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Sugai’s quivering fingers wrapped around Kakyō’s chin and forcefully craned her face to watch.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada, giving her a wink, flipped the goblet in his hand and plunged it down into the servant’s gurgling mouth. Kakyō screamed, listening to the man’s teeth crunch and snap. Tokinada cackled up at her, his once-handsome face contorted into a viper’s sneer. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“When father demanded that I wed, I decided to make a game of it,” he jeered. “I sought out the most idealistic and virtuous woman in all of Soul Society so I could tear down her happiness at my leisure. Again and again, my agents named you as the most pure-hearted brat they could find. And now you are <em>mine</em>.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">The next morning, Gyokaku was horrified when he discovered Kakyō in her quarters. She was pale as a sheet, eyes dazed and lids swollen from crying. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“He whispered the most vile things to me all night,” she mumbled. “He believes in nothing. Truly, nothing. His core is empty.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō was no longer allowed out of Seidahatsumei. Kaname was crestfallen when Gyokaku told him that he could no longer see her. The attendant did not offer a reason — Kakyō had asked him not to worry Kaname about her safety. The Hosaji family continued to fund Kaname’s schooling in the Seireitei, but it was as if a child had been abandoned by his mother. He fell into a deep melancholy, yearning to be reunited with her. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku watched as his regal and sweet-natured charge slowly withered in her new home. Every night, Tokinada invented new games to try and break her spirit — waxing on about his philosophy that nothing mattered, and so all that mattered was power. She became brittle and withdrawn, and eventually developed something that would have been absolutely inconceivable before — a blinding hatred in her heart. Gyokaku could barely recognize her when she stared at Tokinada with abject disdain.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“If you truly cannot stomach me any longer, then draw your Zanpakutō,” Tokinada taunted her at the dinner table one evening. “Cut me down and be done with it.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō seethed back at him, her fingers running along the hilt of Suzumushi. Tokinada had insisted that she wear her sword around the mansion, practically baiting her to make an attempt on his life. It was another one of his mind games.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You envy it, don’t you?” she gritted back at him, coming precariously close to unsheathing her blade. “That’s the only thing I possess that you cannot have — a Zanpakutō?”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada responded by taking a long draught of wine, swishing it around in his mouth, and spitting it right into her face.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Enrakyōten shall one day be returned to its rightful master, my dear,” he hissed. “And your paltry weapon will pale in comparison to its splendor.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō, her face dripping with wine, wordlessly got up from her chair and marched off. When she stormed through the hallway, Sugai Komamura caught her by the arm.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Let go of me!” she cursed him. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“My lady, you must persevere,” the Shikōtai guard urged in a hushed breath. “I know that you will never forgive me for what I have done on his behalf, but I beg you: do not let him degrade your spirit. I see the kindness in your heart blackened with hatred. Do not let him change who you are.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō gazed up at the armored wolf, her eyes vacant.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You pitiful beast,” was all she could muster, wrenching her arm free from his grip and continuing on.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">After several years of confinement, Kakyō began threatening to kill herself if she were not allowed soujourns outside of Seidahatsumei. Tokinada, conceding that her suicide would displease his father, granted her permission to venture out under Sugai’s supervision. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō would weakly walk around the Seireitei with Gyokaku and Sugai flanking her, her pale skin shielded from the sun by a parasol. One day, while perusing a local market, she heard a familiar voice cry out her name.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Lady Kakyō?!” Kaname cried out joyfully, sensing her Reiatsu amidst the crowd. He ran to her, but was halted by Sugai’s paw. The Shikōtai guard ordered him to keep his distance.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Wait…” Kakyō whispered, pushing forcefully past Sugai and clasping Kaname’s hands. She brought his palms up to her face, prompting him to gasp — he could feel how her features had sunken and weathered drastically in just a few short years.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Kakyō, what have they done to you?” Kaname asked, his heart sinking.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“He has broken me,” she cried. “Forgive me… I wasn’t strong enough.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kaname felt her tears moisten his hands, prompting him to cry as well. He shook his head, but could not find the words.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Here, take this,“ Kakyō pleaded, unfastening her Zanpakutō and pressing it into her former pupil’s hands. “Suzumushi knows your heart. I entrust it to you.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“We must continue on our way, Lady Kakyō,” Sugai urged, ignoring what he had just seen.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Please, don’t go,” Kaname pleaded. “Let me help you –“</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Forget about me, Kaname,” Kakyō commanded. “Carry Suzumushi and make it yours. Our dream now belongs only to you, my friend…”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kaname numbly cradled the katana in his hands while listening to Kakyō shuffle away, leaving his life permanently.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">A month later, Tokinada surprised Kakyō with an announcement that he had procured three Rukongai immigrants and would bring them to Seidahatsumei to give her company. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You enjoy pets, don’t you?” he grinned, eliciting a look of disgust from her. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō’s tune changed when she was presented with the three Rukongai souls, all of them having the appearance of teenagers. One was a girl named Seko while the other two were boys named Kinaga and Teji. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō was deeply moved when she learned they had adopted each other as siblings. She was shy amongst them at first, feeling as though she had forgotten how to be tender. Gradually though, the three siblings’ sweetness rekindled her warmth and she began to nurture them like a mother. She was so relieved to have joy back in her life that she did not question why Tokinada allowed her free rein to tend to her new companions. Gyokaku worriedly watched as she taught them Seireitei etiquette and regaled them with mythic stories. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">One night, Kakyō awoke and became alarmed when she could not find Kinaga, Seko, or Teji in her quarters. She rushed out into the hallway and found a stricken-looking Gyokaku.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Where are they?” Kakyō asked frantically, forcibly shaking him in mounting panic. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Lord Tokinada… asked for them,” Gyokaku mumbled, his expression awash in fear. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō released him without a word and dashed away, running straight for the master hall. She burst in — and then halted. A strangled gasp escaped her lips.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kinaga lay dead on the floor with several stab wounds in his throat. Beside him was Teji, his pallid body hunched over and hands dripping with blood. Sitting before them was Tokinada, resting back on his plush cushion with a perfectly still Seko perched on his lap. Beside them stood Sugai, dutifully guarding his master.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Ah, so you’ve finally arrived,” Tokinada grinned, rustling his fingers through Seko’s black hair. “You missed a most splendid show.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō fell to her knees, too overwhelmed to even summon a scream while she surveyed the butchery. She began slowly crawling towards Teji to inspect him, her husband’s taunts ringing in her ears.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I figured it was time I get to know your pets, so I summoned them for a chat,” Tokinada recounted. “We had a toast and began conversing — they were very forthcoming. The older boy — Teji, was it? — told me they considered themselves siblings, which I found quite comical, seeing as they had no parents. I asked who he loved more: his brother or sister? At first he demurred, but that simply wouldn’t do. So I suggested we play a game: he would kill the one he loved less or I would have Sugai split both of them in half.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō had reached Teji, prying apart his palms and discovering a dagger plunged deep into his gut. He had disemboweled himself.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“The cowardly boy wept when I gave him the blade,” Tokinada continued, his teeth gleaming as he savored every detail. “After much cajoling, he summoned the nerve to show Kinaga that he loved him less. When his work was done, I scolded him — pointing out that it was very cruel to murder someone you call brother. I was so offended by his crime that I threatened to wring Seko’s little neck if he didn’t atone. But atone he did. If only he had known…”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada shoved Seko off from his lap, the girl lifelessly flopping down onto the floor. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“… That I had poisoned all of their chalices, rendering his choices moot,” Tokinada concluded with relish.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Kakyō took Teji in her arms and cradled the dead boy, his blood seeping onto her robes. She whispered something so faint that it prompted Tokinada to lean forward in his seat, craning his ear.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“What was that?”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Why</em>?” Kakyō asked, her voice cracking. “WHY, TOKINADA?!”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Why?” the nobleman mused. “Because you began to bore me. Watching you wallow in despair wasn’t as pleasurable as breaking your resolve. There were no new notes of pain to play, no lower depths for you to sink into. You stopped being… fun, my dear. So I gave you a reason to hope again, all so I could tear it away and watch you break anew. Seeing the look in your eyes right now brings me more excitement than I’ve felt <em>in years</em>.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada rose from his seat and strode over to her, parting his robes to reveal his bare torso. He stood within feet of her, as if daring her lash out at him, licking his lips while leering down at her inconsolable rage.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I will say, this proved educational for me,” he gloated, gesturing to Teji and Kinaga’s corpses. “I’ve learned that Rukongai vermin actually are capable of <em>love</em>.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">What came next all happened very quickly. Kakyō grabbed the dagger buried in Teji’s stomach and ripped it loose, blood whipping across the floor in a flecked stripe. With a scream that echoed throughout all of Seidahatsumei, she lunged at her tormentor and brought the blade within inches of his heart before Sugai Komamura parried it away with his armored wrist. The wolf instinctually thrust his Zanpakutō forward, the edge raking across Kakyō’s throat. Blood sprayed from her severed carotid artery, painting the bodyguard’s armor crimson. He cast aside his katana, as if breaking from a trance, and caught Kakyō in his massive arms.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Forgive me, my lady</em>,” he begged in a heartbroken whisper, gently laying her onto the ground. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Tokinada loomed over them, watching the light leave Kakyō’s eyes. His lips curled into a disappointed snarl. He had lost his plaything.</span>
</p><p class="p23"> </p><hr/><p class="p23"> </p><p class="p25"><span class="s1"> <b>RETURN TO THE PRESENT<br/></b> </span> <span class="s1">Hisagi listens in rapt attention while Gyokaku finishes recounting the sad history of Kakyō Hosaji. His blood had run cold early on in the story – now he feels absolutely chilled.</span></p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“The Tsunayashiro family insisted that Kakyō’s death was a suicide,” the old man recalls. “There was skepticism, but Central 46 accepted their version of events. The chamber will avoid contradicting a Shisonka family if they can, and they decided that her life wasn’t worth a confrontation. And so… Tokinada had her quietly buried in a nondescript field without any fanfare. The only attendees were Kaname, myself, and the gravedigger. And that was that.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi doesn’t even know how to respond. He reflects on Kakyō’s tragic end while the market bustles around him and Gyokaku.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You seem surprised to learn that such a thing is possible,” Gyokaku sighs, seeing the shock in Hisagi’s eyes. “Stories like these happen all the time, especially in the Tsunayashiro House. Probably more so now that Tokinada has ascended to the rank of Tenrai-chō. I shudder to think of how he’s been amusing himself now that he has unfettered power.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Shūhei grimaces, not wanting to imagine it, either. A profound heartache sets in.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Captain Tosen…” he mumbles. “When did you see him last?”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“The day of Kakyō’s burial,” Gyokaku answers. “He demanded justice for her, the poor fool. He couldn’t accept that there was no retribution to be had. Not when the perpetrator was Shisonka royalty. They are the favored children of the Reiō and he speaks through them and blah, blah, blah. All of that nonsense. And yet our entire society is organized to serve them.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi eyes Gyokaku with profound unease. This conversation is beginning to feel too blasphemous for his taste.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Not the Gotei 13,” the lieutenant insists. “Our job is to protect the Seireitei.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Your job is to keep the Rukongai in line,” Gyokaku sighs with exasperation. “The Gotei is designed to defend the Shisonka from those who would question their rule. Purifying Hollows is only a secondary concern.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi frowns, feeling like his very values are being affronted.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You’re oversimplifying things,” he grits. “If what you said was true, then –“</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Then perhaps Kaname was justified in rebelling against Soul Society?” Gyokaku rejoinders, absolutely out of fucks to give. “No matter what contemptible ambitions Aizen Sōsuke had, I fully believe that Kaname fought and died a righteous man.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi tenses, his jaw clenching tight. Try as he might, he can’t suppress the tears.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I… have to tell you something,” he says shakily. “I’m… I killed Captain Tosen. It was me.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I know,” Gyokaku replies. “I immediately knew who you were, Hisagi Shūhei. The valiant lieutenant who slew his turncoat captain in the Winter War and redeemed the Ninth Division’s honor. You have a hero’s reputation, and yet here you are weeping over the deed.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi sniffles and wipes his nose. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“You didn’t see him,” the lieutenant whispers. “You didn’t see what he’d become.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Whatever evil he embraced, he did so believing that it was necessary to deliver justice at last in Soul Society,” the old man muses. “I was raised to believe in the Reiō — I wouldn’t have had the stomach to do what Kaname did. But if the Reiō’s existence is what keeps men like Tokinada in power, then… maybe we would be better off without a God.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi gulps, feeling queasy. He was willing to follow any thread wherever it may learn to learn the truth of Tosen, but this wasn’t the revelation he wanted.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I understand that this is hard for you to accept,” Gyokaku says sympathetically. “Remember that you have a choice: you can accept my answers or disregard them. You began with questions about a man, and now you’re learning about the very nature of your world. It’s more than you bargained for.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“I almost wish I hadn’t bothered,” Hisagi admits.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Even so, I commend you for seeking out the truth,” Gyokaku concludes. “Most would be too afraid.”</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi lets Gyokaku’s words sink in. They may sting, but they also have a ring of truth to them. He slowly nods, feeling a bittersweet gratitude.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Thank you, Gyokaku,” he smiles. “I think I understand –“</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">The lieutenant feels a chill shoot up his spine. <em>Something is wrong</em>. It’s vague, like a phantom tremor teasing danger. He recognizes the sensation: he felt it when he spoke to Tokinada Tsunayashiro. It’s the anxious feeling that you are being watched closely by unseen eyes. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku wrinkles his brow, wondering why Hisagi suddenly looks so frightened.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“What’s wrong, Lieut–?“ he begins to ask before a pristine slit opens along his throat.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi mind goes numb as he beholds the pained horror in Gyokaku’s eyes. The old man’s lips are moving but he’s unable to articulate another word, blood spurting from the widening maw in his neck. A figure materializes between them, his visage unfurling in a honeycomb formation. It’s like the rendering of pixels.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1"><em>Is that camouflage</em>? Hisagi wonders, instinctually unsheathing Kazeshini and poising for a counterattack. He freezes when the mysterious warrior turns to shoot him a mischievous glare beneath a grinning, fanged mask. Hisagi recognizes the attacker: it’s Sobura Kisada, member to Tokinada’s Shikōtai guard.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">“Veil, <b>Mikenga</b>,” Kisada utters with a sneer, holding up his blood-stained Zanpakutō tauntingly. His visage disappears as swiftly as it had revealed itself. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Hisagi lunges forward, but Kisada is already gone. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">Gyokaku slumps forward, brushing against Hisagi’s shoulder before thudding onto the ground, blood cascading down the slit carved across his throat. Hisagi feels like he’s going to puke.</span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1"><em>I put him in danger</em>, he realizes. <em>Captain Komamura tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen.</em></span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">A shopper screams, followed by another. The gory scene swiftly draws a full crowd of dumbstruck observers. Hisagi numbly surveys them, realizing how this must look. He stands alone, with his Zanpakutō drawn and a fresh corpse at his feet. </span>
</p><p class="p24">
  <span class="s1">He doesn’t resist when a patrol of Eighth Division Shinigami emerge from the crowd and order him to drop his weapon.</span>
</p><p class="p24"> </p><hr/><p> <iframe></iframe></p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. THE LOST AGENT: Coy Fish From the Poisoned Sea</h2></a>
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</p><p>The thick steam of a heated bath wafts up from the central courtyard of Seidahatsume. Tokinada Tsunayashiro sinks ever deeper into the singing water, watching as one of his geishas, an exquisitely pretty woman named Kenba, stokes the firewood beneath the cauldron. Another geisha named Saemiya stands beside the bath, hoisting a four-foot-long pipe packed with Honueta to Tokinada’s lips. He puffs contentedly, feeling himself being pleasantly bathed from the shoulders down. He has always enjoyed hot baths. They make him feel embryonic. </p><p>Sugai Komamura and Baiyori Magonyo stand guard by the courtyard steps, dutifully scanning the perimeter. Baiyori has removed his helm — as is his privilege when outsiders aren’t present — revealing his ruggedly handsome features, from his sharp charcoal eyes to the trim, triangular beard distinguishing his chin. His dark hair is bound up in a topknot, reinforcing his armor’s resemblance to a samurai warrior. Sugai, however, is still wearing his helmet. He must always keep it on in Tokinada’s presence — the sight of his wolf-like features displeases the Tenrai-chō. </p><p>Both Shikōtai guards turn to the castle exit when they hear approaching footsteps. Sobura Kisada emerges, the wicked grin carved into his emerald mask reflecting his mood. </p><p>“Hisagi Shūhei has been arrested for murder,” Sobura announces, his voice a simpering hiss. “I’m afraid his victim is a former servant of this castle: Gyokaku.”</p><p>“Who?” Tokinada asks between puffs of Honueta, his green eyes dilated into pools of black.</p><p>“He was the personal attendant of Lady Kakyō, my lord,” Sugai offers up. </p><p>“Ah, yes,” Tokinada muses, recalling the connection. “Well, shit. Didn’t realize the old cuss was still alive after all this time.”</p><p>“Were you seen?” Baiyori asks Sobura, a glint of apprehension in his expression. </p><p>“I allowed the Lieutenant to peep me, just as a flourish,” Sobura replies, removing his helm to reveal a scarred face: a bright red blotch runs up his gaunt cheek and ends at his missing left ear. He has a tousled mane of preternaturally grayed hair, swept back and matching his pallid skin.  </p><p>“But no one else saw you?” Baiyori presses, furrowing his brow.</p><p>“None aside from Gyokaku while he choked on his own blood,” Sobura affirms. “It would be Shūhei’s word against mine if he puts up a fuss.”</p><p>“Then we have nothing to worry about,” Tokinada sighs happily, reaching down to pat his bathwater and enjoying how it splashes. “I will dispatch Seinosuke to Central 46 to help them make sense of this tragedy. Well done, Kisada.”</p><p>Tokinada had ordered Sobura to surveil Hisagi’s every waking move several days ago, after the lieutenant visited Seidahatsume and posed his insolent questions. The task was awfully easy for Sobura, given the power of his Zanpakutō, <b>Mikenga</b> (Unseen Moth). When released, its Shikai camouflages its user seamlessly within their surroundings, rendering them invisible. Crucially, their Reiatsu is also undetectable when cloaked. The only time this invisibility ceases is when the sword meets flesh. Many have met their end not knowing the face of their killer because they blinked at the exact moment when Sobura cut them.</p><p>“Was it necessary to frame him?” Sugai asks aloud, training his disapproving eyes onto Sobura. “I just spoke to Sajin this morning. He promised to discourage the lad.”</p><p>“When I cut Gyokaku’s throat, he had just finished recounting everything he knew to the little detective,” Sobura counters with a smirk. “When a dog has caught his first morsel, there is no warding him off. You must put him down. I would think you of all people wouldn’t want their discussion to reach more ears, Sugai.”</p><p>Sugai’s azure eyes sharpen beneath his mask, staring indignantly back at Sobura’s delighted sneer. </p><p>“See, this is what’s so tiresome about you, Sugai,” Tokinada laments between suckles at his pipe. “You give a passing thought to our enemies instead of reveling in their defeat. Kenba, come here.”</p><p>Kenba wordlessly sets down her fire-poker and draws closer to the bath. Tokinada reaches out from the cauldron and caresses her chin, his wet fingers smudging her makeup. </p><p>“Reward Sobura for his valor,” he orders. </p><p>Kenba nods dutifully, striding up to a pleased Sobura and leading him back into the castle. Sugai watches them disappear inside, sympathetic to the geisha’s thankless task ahead.</p><hr/><p>Beneath the innards of the Seijōtōkyorin, Shūhei Hisagi stands chained before Central 46. Clinking manacles are affixed around his neck, wrists, and ankles. His eyes looking forlornly at the ground, he can’t summon the wherewithal to gaze up at his judges. </p><p>“Well, if you will not speak, Hisagi Shūhei, then we shall hear arguments from the representative of Tsunayashiro House,” the Grand Chair rules from his perch, his wrinkled face hidden behind a placard. </p><p>Seinosuke Yamada, capped by a kanmuri hat and regal in his all-white robes, strides around the unresponsive Shūhei, looking up to address the forty wise men and six impartial judges that comprise the chamber. </p><p>“I come to you today to offer clarity on this despicable crime, my lords,” the notary declares with an air of righteousness. “Why would a seated officer of the Gotei 13 senselessly take the life of a retired servant from the great noble House of Tsunayashiro? What could possibly motivate such barbarity? Well, it begins to make sense when you take into account that this lieutenant has harassed Tenrai-chō Tokinada for the past week in a deluded quest to vindicate his traitor mentor, Tōsen Kaname!”</p><p>Seinosuke pauses for dramatic effect, listening to the scandalized murmurs rippling throughout the chamber. </p><p>“Hisagi Shūhei, isn’t it true that Commander Yamamoto Shigekuni granted you permission to conduct an inquiry into Tōsen’s life — on the strict condition that you were never to stray from the purpose of your investigation? And that you were to provide documentation of your every discovery to your superiors? Well?”</p><p>Shūhei doesn’t answer, continuing to stare at the ground.</p><p>“Permission to treat the criminal’s silence as an affirmative response, my lords?” Seinosuke asks the chamber. </p><p>“Permission granted,” the Grand Chair replies.</p><p>“SDRI confirmed that you made an undisclosed visit to the World of the Living yesterday, without orders to do so, and yet you never provided documentation of this after the fact, did you?” Seinosuke continues. “You went beyond your jurisdiction, and you violated the terms of your agreement with the Commander because <em> you knew </em>this was no longer about justifying Tōsen’s crimes — it had become a crusade to smear the Tsunayashiro Tenrai-chō!”</p><p>Seinosouke turns to Central 46 while pointing an accusatory finger at Shūhei, as if astonished by the prisoner’s brazenness.</p><p>“This criminal became convinced of a link between his traitor captain and the Tenrai-chō’s late wife, Tsunayashiro Kakyō. He became so obsessed with this unfounded connection that he dared drudge up the memory of her suicide before the Tenrai-chō, without any regard for how it wounded him. And so, Hisagi Shūhei, you tracked down a befuddled old man who knew her and interrogated him. And you were displeased by his answers, weren’t you?”</p><p>Seinosouke steps toward Shūhei, leaning in close to his face. </p><p>“When he did not offer vindication for your demented fantasies, you became enraged, didn’t you?” the notary queries with disdain. “You could not accept the truth: that the captain you idolized was a craven traitor, with nothing motivating his wicked deeds except ambition. And so you drew your sword and punished the poor old man for the crime of confronting you with reality! Well, what do you have to say for yourself?”</p><p>Shūhei is unresponsive for a long beat before raising his eyes to meet Seinsouke’s glare.</p><p>“I’m glad your brother is rid of you,” he replies, breaking his silence at last. “He’s a far better man.” </p><p>Seinosuke’s eyes widen, followed by his lip curling into a snarl. He reflexively slaps Hisagi across the face, the strike echoing throughout the chamber.</p><p>“I have no further questions for this swine,” Seinosuke announces shakily, nursing his hand and returning to his seat.</p><p>There is some swift whispers shared between the six judges, ending with the Grand Chair clearing his throat.</p><p>“Hisagi Shūhei, this chamber finds you guilty for the crimes of murder and conspiracy against the Shisonka!” the Grand Chair announces. “You are hereby stripped of your rank and expelled from the Gotei 13. You will be detained in Kokujō, the second level of the Great Underground Prison, for a sentence of 800 years! Perhaps you will use that time to reflect on how your efforts have only compounded the shame brought upon the Ninth Division.”</p><p>Shūhei says nothing as the guards haul him away. </p><hr/><p>Ichigo Kurosaki gazes out at the passing countryside while the XCution van drives beside a stretch of train tracks, traveling from Karakura Town to the neighboring Naruki City. It occurs to him that this is only the second time he has ever ventured outside of his hometown. Isshin once took him to go see a Flying Squirrels game in Kagamino City, but he wasn’t too interested in baseball so they never made a habit of it. That was only a couple months after Masaki’s death, and Ichigo remembers feeling crushingly anxious when they left Karakura Town. </p><p><em> I guess it was because there were fewer ghosts the farther we went out </em> , he reflects. <em> It was like I was worried that would be the one day she’d pass by, and I’d miss the chance to see her.  </em></p><p>He realizes that, despite having traversed dimensions and seen things nobody knew even existed, his life in the World of the Living has been incredibly small. He’s never experienced what exists beyond the borders of Karakura Town. </p><p>
  <em> What kind of a life is that? </em>
</p><p>“Daydreaming over there?” Kūgo Ginjō asks, keeping his eyes on the road while driving. “You better be thinking of what you’re gonna say when you face Adoka.”</p><p>Ichigo snaps out of his introspection, giving Ginjō a nod. They’ve been driving for half an hour in silence, with the rest of the crew preparing within the dollhouse bolted inside the trunk. </p><p>“Y’know… I guess there’s no better time to say I’m proud of you,” Ginjō offers.</p><p>“Huh?” Ichigo murmurs, taken aback.</p><p>“I have never seen anyone harness their Fullbring faster than you have, and you did it all while having a helluva bad week,” Ginjō muses, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “You wouldn’t have managed that if you were only doing it for yourself… I’d say you remind me of myself when I was your age, but you’re actually a good kid.”</p><p>Ichigo stares at Ginjō contemplatively, feeling really glad he’s here. Their dynamic reminds him of Rukia. </p><p>“So, do I need to go over the plan again?” Ginjō asks rhetorically. “We roll into Naruki City and drop you off a couple blocks from Adoka Industries. You stroll in and drop your codename at the desk. They’ll bring you up to that smug bastard’s office, where you’ll make the deal. He likes to talk, so let him carry on most of the conversation and only answer questions when you absolutely must. Meanwhile, we’ll make our own infiltration and disable the building’s security lockdown. That way, even if your meeting with him goes south, the totems will still be retrievable. And, even if Adoka changes his mind, Tatsuki will already be doing her part to snatch the totems right out from under him. Get Adoka to open that vault and it's game, set, match. I’m sure you can handle yourself if things get physical, but hopefully it won’t come to that. The more heat we have on us, the harder it’ll be to square things with Yasutora afterward.”</p><p>Ichigo looks down at the briefcase resting on his lap.</p><p>“So does this thing actually have money in it or what?” he asks.</p><p>“All of it is counterfeit yen,” Ginjō chuckles. “We’re banking on your identity being enough that he won’t inspect it too closely before giving you the totems. That’s why you gotta max out that Reikyō meter — which I have no reason to believe you can’t do.”</p><p>Ichigo gulps, finding it surreal that he’s going to have to put on a <em> performance </em>. </p><p>“Is it really that easy?” he wonders. “Pretending you’re somebody else?”</p><p>Ginjō considers the question for a beat.</p><p>“It’s all a confidence game,” he muses. “Think you got confidence?”</p><p>Ichigo smiles. </p><p>“Sure do.”</p><p>The bullet train heading for Naruki City whizzes past Ichigo’s window, catching his attention and reminding him of Orihime.</p><p>“My girl’s coming back home tonight,” he recalls. “I promised I’d meet her at the train station.”</p><p>“Dang, you got a full plate today,” Ginjō whistles, stepping on the gas. “Well, let’s pull this off without a hitch so you can get back to your lady with time to spare.”</p><hr/><p>In the World of the Living, Uryū Ishida stirs awake, displeased to discover that he’s still in a hospital bed. What’s worse, he has an intense pounding in his head. He reaches for his glasses on the bedside table, puts them on, and rubs his temples.</p><p>“I see you’re awake,” Dr. Ryūken Ishida observes from the doorway. “The nurse said that your recovery has been coming along smoothly.”</p><p>“The pain’s still there, but I can feel my strength returning,” Uryū admits, trying to banish his headache through sheer willpower. </p><p>“That’s good,” Ryūken says, striding into the room. “You can leave this afternoon, then. Free up the bed for someone who actually needs it... Something wrong?”</p><p>“Just a headache,” Uryū grumbles. </p><p>“Well that can be remedied with aspirin – you can administer that yourself,” Ryūken concludes. “I’ll let the staff know they can start processing you out.”</p><p>Uryū nods, ready to get the hell out of there. Suddenly, the low buzzing in his eardrums sharpens into a distinctive sound – the putter of a motorcycle engine. He looks to the window, detecting that the noise is sounding out from the street below. He has a sinking feeling that whoever is lingering outside is waiting for him.</p><p>“Something else wrong?” Ryūken asks, eyes narrowing as he scrutinizes his son.</p><p>Uryū looks up at his father and swiftly calculates the cost benefit of telling him about his stalker. He shakes his head.</p><p>“No, it’s just the headache.”</p><hr/><p>The First Division assembly room is silent as a crypt when Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto finishes recounting Shūhei Hisagi’s sentencing. The old man gazes out levelly at his gathered captains, studying each of their reactions. Aside from Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s indifference and Retsu Unohana’s practiced placidity, the room is filled with wide eyes and slack jaws. </p><p>“This… this is absurd,” Suí-Fēng mutters to herself. “Lieutenant Hisagi isn’t capable of that.”</p><p>“You heard the Commander, did you not?” Tōshirō Hitsugaya interjects ruefully. “I don't like this news, either, but he was apprehended on the scene with dozens of witnesses present.” </p><p>“He is not a murderer!” Suí-Fēng barks back incredulously before looking over to Kensei Muguruma. “Well? You’re his superior, Kensei! What do you have to say about this? Stop staring off looking like an idiot and speak!”</p><p>“I… I don’t understand,” is all Kensei can offer, jaw taut and eyes glazed over with shock. He looks over to Sajin Komamura and then to Jūshirō Ukitake. Both of them look aghast, Sajin’s snout twitching with distress and Ukitake tightly gripping the arms of his wheelchair.</p><p>“Captain Ukitake!” Suí-Fēng cries out, casting an accusatory finger at the Thirteenth Division captain. “You were supposed to be supervising him! How could you let this happen? Well?!”</p><p>Ukitake winces, meeting Suí-Fēng’s hot glare with guilt-ridden eyes. He’s at a loss for words.</p><p>“That is enough,” Yamamoto intercedes, his low drawl instantly cowing Suí-Fēng’s bluster. “Central 46 has rendered its decision. It is not our place to question their conclusions.”</p><p>“Well there’s a surprise...” Shinji Hirako mutters under his breath.</p><p>Yamamoto cocks his head, casting the Fifth Division captain a look that could burn.</p><p>“What was that, Captain Hirako?”</p><p>“With all due respect, Commander — this is bullshit,” Shinji declares. “Since when has Central 46 ever given a damn about some old geezer? By the sounds of it, Hisagi got the book thrown at him because he upset the Shisonka. Maybe, just maybe, the Commander of the Gotei ought to push back against this political hit-job –”</p><p>“Enough!” Yamamoto roars.</p><p>Shinji’s lips purse into a frown, everyone else looking askance as they feel a twinge of fear in the presence of Yama’s fury.</p><p>“All of you, return to your barracks,” Yamamoto commands. “We will not discuss this matter any further. And Captain Hirako – remember that when you agreed to rejoin Soul Society, you agreed to obey its Law.”</p><p>The captains disperse, Kenpachi Zaraki grumbling that this wasn’t worth interrupting his training regimen. Shunsui Kyōraku quietly wheels out Ukitake, the white-haired captain looking deeply shaken.</p><p>Kensei, Shinji, and Love Aikawa exit the First Division barracks together. </p><p>“Sorry, Kensei,” Love offers, putting a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Your guy got a raw deal.”</p><p>“Probably even more raw than we know,” Kensei murmurs, casting his eyes across the courtyard at Komamura. The wolf is standing still after halting mid-step, his face twisting in anguish. </p><p>“You gonna go talk to him?” Shinji asks.</p><p>“Nah, he looks pretty inconsolable at the moment,” Kensei replies, continuing to gaze out at Komamura.</p><p>“I meant Hisagi,” Shinji clarifies. “You're his captain, and he’s only in the second level of the Great Underground Prison. I’m sure you could swing it if you put your mind to it.”</p><p>Kensei turns his gaze to Shinji, surprised by the suggestion.</p><p>“I mean, don’t if you can’t be bothered,” Shinji shrugs. “All you gotta ask yourself is this: how much do you believe in him?”</p><hr/><p>Naruki City is a gleaming metropolis compared to Karakura Town. While the latter is unremarkable in its ordinariness, Naruki City stands out with its ostentatious scale. Its skyscrapers extend high up into the sky, with streets choked with bustling commerce and billboards flashing advertisements like shifting neon sand. The 21st Century has already thoroughly arrived here, whereas Karakura still looks like a relic of the 1990s.</p><p>Ichigo Kurosaki stands before Adoka Industries, gazing up at its seemingly endless stack of stainless steel floors that gleam in the sunlight. It’s an oddly thin building, sandwiched tautly between incomplete construction sites as if there was barely any room for it. It vaguely reminds him of the towers in Las Noches.</p><p>He takes a deep breath and pops up his fringed hood, his game face shielded behind sunglasses. </p><p><em> Remember, Ichigo </em> , he thinks. <em> You are Number One </em>.</p><p>With that, he begins his strut – blasting his own imaginary theme song inside his mind. He throws open the glass doors and enters the lobby, discovering that it is completely vacant save for a receptionist at the desk, elevator doors looming behind him. Ichigo strides up with that same swagger he practiced during all those years as a disaffected punk with a heart of gold. He’s in his element.</p><p>“Yo,” Ichigo announces himself, propping his elbow on the counter. “Here for an appointment with the big man.”</p><p>The receptionist lowers his magazine, revealing a surprisingly grimy and youthful appearance. His earlobes are drooping with stretched holes in them, indicating that he normally wears gages. Ichigo frowns in surprise.</p><p>“You even old enough to hold down this kind of job?” </p><p>“I get that a lot,” the receptionist retorts, unamused. “Name, please?”</p><p>“Name, huh?” Ichigo smiles, lowering his sunglasses for dramatic effect. “You can tell him that Dākumūn has arrived.”</p><p>The receptionist’s eyes widen, his magazine sliding out from his grasp and plopping onto the ground. </p><p>“J-just a moment, sir,” he stammers, plucking up the phone to call upstairs. “Um, Mr. Adoka? He’s here. Yes. Yes. Uh… yes? Okay.”</p><p>The elevator dings, the doors opening up to reveal two scraggly and youthful-looking security guards. </p><p>“If you will just step inside, sir, you will be escorted up to Mr. Adoka’s office,” the receptionist explains with a gulp.</p><p>Ichigo gives the quivering clerk a nonchalant salute and strides inside the elevator, greeting the two security guards with a nod. The doors close and Ichigo watches the floor indicator gradually tick up. </p><p>“We need to search you before you meet with Mr. Adoka, sir,” one the guards discloses.</p><p>Ichigo raises his arms up, not protesting when the other guard steps over to frisk him. </p><p>“Let’s see here,” the guard mumbles as he gives Ichigo a pat-down. First he checks the suitcase, clicking it open and giving the enclosed wads of yen a whistle, then moves onto Ichigo's person. Feeling the Shinigami Badge in Ichigo’s back pocket, he takes it out and inspects it.</p><p>“I’m gonna need that back,” Ichigo says with edge. </p><p>The guard turns the badge over in his hand, shrugs, and slots it back into Ichigo’s pocket.</p><p>“He’s clean.”</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, the XCution van rolls up to the parking entrance of Adoka Industries’ garage. The car has a vinyl wrap freshly slapped onto its side, depicting a grinning Ginjō hoisting up a plunger like a sword. </p><p>“Identification?” the entrance guard asks. </p><p>“Oh, I don’t work here,” Ginjō merrily replies from the driver’s seat. “Was called in to fix your plumbing. Apparently, one of your stalls is erupting like Mount Fuji.”</p><p>The guard wants no further details. </p><p>“Alright, clear,” he concludes, letting Ginjō drive into the garage.</p><p>The XCution van parks in a discrete spot and Ginjō hops out, clad in an orange jumpsuit. He opens up the trunk and gives the headquarters' dollhouse a finger flick. The miniature rumbles briefly and out shoots four blobs of green luminescence that morph into Giriko Kutzusawa, Jackie Tristan, Riruka Dokugamine, and Tatsuki Arisawa. They’re all clad in orange jumpsuits, too.</p><p>“Sheesh, you didn’t need to flick the place,” Riruka says annoyedly. “Had me thinking the ceiling was gonna cave in on us.”</p><p>“Shhhh,” Ginjō shushes, holding a finger to his lips. “Dial down the volume for now, got it? Now, you remember the way?”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I memorized those blueprints like the back of my hand,” Riruka says with nose upturned, leading everyone into the factory. Just as planned, they blend in with the workers, who are also wearing orange jumpsuits.</p><hr/><p>The elevator doors open and Ichigo steps out into a room that is outfitted wall-to-wall with glass. It's a circular aquarium, with brilliantly-colored fish swimming along the walls. Ichigo marvels at the sight for a beat before then realizing that the guards aren’t joining him -- they remain in the elevator when it closes. <em> That’s odd </em>. He expected Adoka to want security present. </p><p>“Beautiful, aren’t they?” a throaty voice asks from behind an armchair situated in the center of ring-shaped chamber. “I find most things in this world quite hideous and vulgar, but koi fish? They’re treasures that remind me of home. And like any worthwhile treasure, you can bottle them up.”</p><p>The armchair swivels around to reveal Tozaki Adoka in all of his corpulent glory. He is dressed in a lavender suit, a navy blue tie tucked into his black dress shirt. His lumpy dome only has a few wisps of sage-hued hair combed over, the effect hardly preserving his dignity. Swollen, purplish lips wrapped around a cigar, his sea foam-colored eyes gleam with maniacal delight at his guest. </p><p>“Come here, let me get a proper look at you!” the black market merchant cajoles, hopping up from his seat and striding over. He’s rather tall, but doesn’t have an imposing frame. His bulk is more swollen than swole. </p><p>Ichigo tries to hide his bemusement behind his sunglasses. He lowers his hood to reveal his spiky orange hair and takes the shades off. </p><p>“Ah, there he is!” Tozaki declares with a clap. “So that’s what the great Dākumūn looks like! You’re younger than I expected.”</p><p>“Guess that just makes me a prodigy,” Ichigo replies.</p><p>Tozaki gives him a sly look, followed by a chummy wag of the finger. </p><p>“Gotta say, I was skeptical when Dākumūn of all people reached out to me,” he marvels. “The shroud with no face, forever working alone. I didn’t know whether I was being flattered… or duped.”</p><p>Tozaki’s expression drops, his green eyes turning grave.</p><p>“You are indeed Dākumūn and not just some punk kid wasting my time, right?” he asks with severity. </p><p>Ichigo was ready for this.</p><p>“I’m Dākumūn alright,” he answers without hesitation. “Flattered is exactly how you should be feeling. I’m in need of good stock and I know you’re carrying some high-quality merchandise. I’m also short on time, so whatever assurances you need, ask them now.”</p><p>“Short on time, huh?” Tozaki muses, taking a drag from his cigar. “Well I got all the time in the world, kid. So we’re gonna go about this at my pace. If you’re really in that much need of a boost, I’m sure the wait will be worth it.”</p><p>Ichigo grits his teeth, already hating this guy on a visceral level. He summons a smile.</p><p>“Alright, we’ll do it your way.”</p><hr/><p>Inside the main security nexus of Adoka Industries' factory sector, a pimpled security guard frocked in overalls and a backwards cap is leaning back in his chair, feet propped up on the table while a portable television blares away across the room. Watching sports helps with the tedium. Suddenly, he hears a booming crash two rooms over. </p><p>Springing from his seat, he grasps the baton fastened around his belt and exits the room and into the main hallway. On the other end of the corridor is the entrance to the main vent shafts, the most protected room in the building aside from Adoka's vault. The only way inside is a security code that is reconfigured every day and texted exclusively to the guard's cellphone. He spends every morning memorizing the new passcode while brushing his teeth. </p><p>The guard can hear some commotion emanating from the other side of the steel door -- where all the vents are located. Anyone with access to that room could make their way throughout any corner of the factory, making it a key protection point. The guard hurriedly presses today's passcode into the keypad and awaits access.</p><p>The door doesn't open. </p><p>The guard is genuinely baffled. He has never botched the passcode before. He types in the same chain of numbers again, awaiting for the door to unseal. It does not. Taking stock of his surroundings, the guard realizes that something seems <em> off </em> about the hallway today. It's subtle, almost imperceptible for anyone who hasn't stepped through it every day, but... the dimensions are somehow smaller. Has the hallway shrunk, somehow?</p><p>The crashing bangs sounding out from the venting room cease, cutting off in a haze of static noise. The guard's eyes widen when he realizes that the sounds weren't being made in the vent room at all, but inside the hallway itself. <em> Did someone fit it with a microphone </em>?</p><p>"Guardian charging all hardy in, snug like a cardigan!" Riruka's voice chants through the hidden mic.</p><p>The security guard's shout of surprise turns into an inaudible squeak when he and the entire hallway shrink down into a cylindrical dollhouse, lying at the center of the <em> real </em> hallway. From the ceiling, Riruka kicks out the grate and drops down, followed by the rest of XCution.</p><p>"The code is 856492," Riruka tells Ginjō, reaching down to pluck up her dollhouse-trap like a purse. "No doubt about it; he entered the combination in twice."</p><p>"Let's see..." Ginjō mutters, punching the numbers into the real keypad. </p><p>There is a pause, followed by the door unsealing and popping open. </p><p>"We're in!" Ginjō grins back at his crew. "Riruka, you're not bringing that dollhouse with us."</p><p>"Of course not," Riruka pouts haughtily, lifting the lid on the faberge hallway she had built for this occasion. The miniaturized security guard lets out a yelp of terror when he sees Riruka's gigantic face staring down at him.</p><p>"Don't worry, little guy," she assures him from above. "I'm just gonna tuck you safe inside one of the vents and will come back to collect you later... if I remember you're still there!"</p><hr/><p>Tozaki pops open a cedar box of cigars and produces a plump stogie, handing it to Ichigo.</p><p>"I don't smoke," Ichigo says with a shake of his head. </p><p>"That's news to me," Tozaki frowns. "One of the only things known about Dākumūn is the cigarettes he leaves at the scene of his conquests. Are you calling me misinformed?"</p><p>Ichigo feels a momentary flush of panic, but he realizes Tozaki's bluff soon enough. </p><p>"I'm calling you a jokester," he replies. "You just made that up."</p><p>"Haha, you're right!" Tozaki giggles, clipping the fresh cigar and lighting it up to replace his recently finished one. "Thought I had you there for a second. Alright, so maybe you are the real Dākumūn. I have no real reason to believe you're not. Except for one thing..."</p><p>The black market dealer takes a long drag and blows a smoke ring into Ichigo's face, studying him.</p><p>"You don't have the eyes of a killer," Tozaki continues, the embers of his stogie flaring as he takes in a deep suckle. "Most of the thugs I deal with got that glint in their eye, that flicker of <em> something rotten </em>. Dākumūn's racked up one of the highest kill counts among Fullbringers. You look awfully well-adjusted for someone whose taken down dozens of your own kind."</p><p>"My own kind?" Ichigo repeats mockingly, really selling the indifference. "There's only one of me."</p><p>Tozaki plops back into his seat, swiveling subtly from left to right while he scrutinizes Ichigo for a long beat. </p><p>"What goes through your mind when you do it?" he asks. "When you take a human life, just so you can collect their little trinket?"</p><p>Ichigo's brow furrows while he considers the absolute evil of the question. He's not sure what to say.</p><hr/><p>“Get your butt out of my face, Jackie!” Riruka gripes from inside the air vents as she and the rest of XCution crawl their way through the narrow crannies.</p><p>“Stop complaining and enjoy the treat, darling,” Jackie purrs back, soldiering forth on her hands and knees. </p><p>Tatsuki’s at the very end of the line, worriedly wondering if anyone below can hear them. This all feels like a mixture of playing hooky and shoplifting to her. She realizes that she doesn’t particularly like being sneaky. </p><p>“Just a little farther,” Ginjō announces, leading the trail as they muscle their way through the claustrophobic corridor. </p><p>A turn here, a turn there, and the crew spills out of the vent, finding themselves inside a circular chamber filled with whirring fans. Tatsuki looks around, feeling the generated wind sweeping through her hair.</p><p>“Well, the hard part’s over,” Ginjō jokes. “The security center is located behind... right, the northwest fan. Alright, let's go."</p><p>The team each takes their turn gingerly leaping through the whirring blades, Riruka yipping as one of the swerving edges nicks a follicle off from her pigtails.</p><p>They turn a corner and find themselves standing before a steel chamber with a bulky control panel at its center. The space is diagrammed with roving lasers, the beams of light spiraling around in concentric whirls that leave virtually no avenue to walk through undetected.</p><p>“Yeesh,” Tatsuki gulps. “You weren’t kidding about the lasers. Who builds something like this?”</p><p>“Someone very creative,” Riruka sighs, gazing out at the roaming red beams.</p><p>“Giriko and Jackie — you’re up,” Ginjō orders. </p><p>Giriko steps forward, hands behind his back as he assesses the trap. Jackie cracks her neck and kicks the heels of her Dirty Boots together, raring to go.</p><p>“Are you going to slow down the lasers, Mr. Kutzusawa?” Tatsuki. asks. </p><p>“That I cannot do,” Giriko replies, his one eye clocking the countless diodes peppering the walls and ceiling. “These lasers all come different points of origin, and my Jikanwa uso Tsukanai can only affect one target at a time. Nagabari no Tokei is useless in this instance. However, I <em> can </em> cast Tenshin no Tokei on Miss Tristan to enhance her speed.”</p><p>“It's going to be an absolute frolic!” Jackie grins, stretching her limbs and preparing for the mad dash. </p><p>“But... these patterns look really complicated?” Tatsuki notes nervously. “How are you going to dodge them?”</p><p>“Relax, darling, this was always the plan,” Jackie reassures her with a wink. “Remember that Riruka stole <em> all </em> of this building’s schematics. While you were spending these past months in class, I was schooling myself on this precise task in a dollhouse recreation. Alright, Giriko – I’m ready.”</p><p>Giriko claps his hands together and casts them forward, a ribbon of green light materializing over Jackie and swirling along her torso. She readies in a pounce, paying little mind as her comrades’ movements slow until they might as well be statues around her. She narrows her eyes in focus and launches forth in a spring of Bringer Light, the lasers before her roving at a more relaxed speed. </p><p>She lands between an opening of crossed beams with the grace of a ballerina before diving between another opening, as if threading herself through a needle. She reaches the floor and catches it with her palm, springing up again in a multi-flip that narrowly evades the convergence of more lasers by a hairsbreadth. It’s like a regal dance as she shimmies and leaps through the field of detection, finishing with a somersault and a twist that dodges an incoming slice of light. She lands on the narrow island of free space at the center of the room, the ribbon of Giriko's Tension no Tokei dispersing from her torso. Suddenly, the lasers return to their blink-and-you-miss-it speed and the rest of XCution’s motions become decipherable again.</p><p>“Um, whoa,” Tatsuki gasps when she beholds Jackie safely on the other side of the lasers. She couldn’t even make out her movements, it had all happened so fast.</p><p>“That’s my girl!” Ginjō laughs. He leans over to Giriko and gives him a playful nudge. The one-eyed Fullbringer responds with a satisfied wrinkle of his mustache. </p><p>“Well then, onto the final stage!” Jackie declares, switching off the control panel. The vibrating hum of the chamber cuts off, signaling that the security measures have indeed been shut down. </p><hr/><p>"What do I think?" Ichigo says slowly, his every elongated enunciation stalling for time. </p><p>Suddenly, the answer hits him. </p><p>"I don't think at all," he begins with a devilish smile, eliciting a look of intrigue from Tozaki. "You know what the difference between me and those nobodies you normally deal with is? A killer instinct. An insatiable hunger for battle. For power. The will to mercilessly crush any enemy. To tear them apart. To hack them to pieces. A ravenous bloodlust. The will to rip off skin. To gouge flesh. To crush bone and mangle sinew. Somewhere carved into anyone's primordial unconscious is the will to kill. And I listen to mine."</p><p>The tip of Tozaki's cigar has ebbed into an inch of ash. He listened in rapt attention the whole time, not taking a puff. </p><p>"When you've got that indomitable drive... you don't have to <em> think </em>," Ichigo concludes. </p><p>Tozaki excitedly takes a suck at his stogie and leaps up from his chair. </p><p>"I like you, Dakūmūn!" he cackles. "You are truly one fucked up customer!" </p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>"Well, there's only one last formality to get out the way, then," Tozaki says slyly, turning back to press a button on the armrest of his seat. </p><p>A portion of the floor the radius of a sewer grate parts a meter before Ichigo, a platform fastened with grips rising from it. This must be the "Reikyō Meter" that Ginjō prepared him for. </p><p>"I don't have to explain to you what this is, right?" Tozaki asks.</p><p>"Of course not," Ichigo says with fake bravado, setting his briefcase down onto the floor.</p><p>He reaches into his back pocket, producing his Substitute Shinigami badge. His hand flexes around the placard, initiating a spark of connection. Suddenly, a green aura glazes over Ichigo's body, armoring him in the black and bone of his Fullbring, Mangetsu. Tozaki's eyes brighten with delight when he sees the badge transform into a menacing machete. Ichigo twirls the blade with style and sheathes it slickly into the scabbard strapped to his back. He steps forward and closes his hands around the grips of the meter. </p><p><em> Let your Reikyō flow out from you and into the grips </em> , Ginjō had advised him during training. <em> Bring all that sense memory to the surface, and let your power light that machine up like an electric grid.  </em></p><p>Ichigo takes a deep breath, ignoring the expectant glare from Tozaki, and he thinks hard about what matters to him. The faces of those he cares about flash across the canvas of his memory: Orihime, Rukia, Chad, Ishida, Tatsuki, Renji, Ginjō, his dad, his sister Yuzu. Karin...</p><p>He thinks about Karin -- and how jealous he felt when he learned she had become Shinigami. </p><hr/><p>Ginjō rips out the grate shielding the vent that leads directly up to Tozaki's vault. It's as narrow as a sake bottle: far too cramped to fit any person. </p><p>"Alright, Arisawa, you're up," the XCution leader announces. </p><p>Tatsuki nods nervously, unzipping the satchel tied around her waist. Ringo pops out from the parted zipper, munching on a pellet. Tatsuki smiles down at him and strokes his head with a finger, brushing along the maroon ring of fur encircling his eye. </p><p>"Are you ready, buddy?" she asks. </p><p>The weasel climbs up onto Tatsuki's shoulder and gives her cheek a nuzzle with his snout, prompting Riruka to bite her fist in cute aggression. Tatsuki grasps her pet with both hands and sits down into a meditation posture, taking a deep breath and clearing her mind. A green vapor begins to seep out from her while she cradles Ringo in her palms. </p><p>"Dōshikawa," Tatsuki whispers in the lightest of breaths. </p><p>She suddenly jerks her head back, her eyes lightening until they are pale pools of white. Conversely, Ringo begins to twitch until he shudders and goes limp. After a few seconds, the weasel snaps back to life with an unnerving focus, the spontaneous movements of his feral instinct gone. Tatsuki has initiated the second ability of her Fullbring: when she inhabits Ringo's body with her consciousness. </p><p>Ginjō looks down at the weasel, a little creeped out. </p><p>"Tatsuki... um, if you can hear me, give us a nod?" he asks.</p><p>The weasel gives an affirmative nod. </p><p>"That is friggin' spooky!" Riruka mutters.</p><p>"Climb up through that vent and reach Adoka's vault," Ginjō orders. "Remember, you're the insurance policy. Only mess with the safe if Ichigo somehow doesn't get the totems."</p><p>Ringo gives another nod and scampers across the floor, climbing up into the vent and disappearing. The XCution team listens to the subtle sounds of the weasel's claws scratching across metal as it makes its way up the shaft.</p><p>"Miss Arisawa has come a long way, hasn't she?" Giriko remarks, casting his one eye down at Tatsuki. She sits cross-legged, her face agog and eyes completely vacant while she pilots Ringo through their spiritual connection. </p><p>Suddenly, the XCution members all brace themselves when they feel a tremendous pressure assert itself dozens of stories above them. It feels like heavy rainfall pouring down, threatening to overwhelm the structural integrity of the building and cave it in. </p><p>"It's Ichigo!" Jackie exclaims. "The fireworks have begun!"</p><p>Ginjō gazes up in awe at the ceiling, feeling the weight of Ichigo's Reikyō boring down on him. The power is astonishing. </p><hr/><p>Tozaki's cigar falls from his slack-jawed lips while he watches Ichigo power up. The Strawberry grips the meter handles tightly, his tensile strength threatening to break the nodes while he grits his teeth, trying to summon everything he has brewing inside of him. Green luminescence is erupting from him like the licking flames of a supernova, the pressure causing the glass pane shielding Tozaki's aquarium to vibrate. </p><p>Ichigo feels himself reaching a plateau, only to push through it. With every ceiling of power he hits, he rams himself at it until he breaks into a level above. Every step feels like coming closer to home, closer to that level of power he had attained in Soul Society and grew in Hueco Mundo. The might he had when he defeated the Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. When he challenged Ulquiorra Cifer, a Vasto Lorde. The power is pungent, being forcibly pulled out from the dormant depths of his soul. </p><p>Every clap creates an echo. He can feel the reverberations of the power he once possessed, and he's chasing it. </p><p>He lets out a scream -- not of rage, but of sheer exhilaration. </p><p>The meter is shaking, its unit of measurement rising at an exponential rate across a dashboard between the handles. Whatever level of power Ichigo is putting out, the machine is having trouble calculating in step. </p><hr/><p>Thousands of miles away, on the Isle of Saikuropusua, Aura Michibane sits before her acolytes with her head bowed, her lips repeating their funereal chant. </p><p>Miyata Setsuko's remains smolder on a pyre laid out beneath Michibane's platform, all of the gathered Tengokuyoken ceremonially wailing in grief and proclaiming their hope that the heretic's soul will be purified in Soul Society. </p><p>Aura's right ear twitches. She cranes her head back, feeling a powerful Reikyō signature rumble in the far distance. It's coming from the west, across the sea and nestled somewhere in Japan. In Naruki City. The Reikyō is aggressive, with sharp corners and spiky texture. It has the faint contours of a Shinigami's Reiatsu. </p><p>The Tengokuyoken dare not cease their hysterical cries when Aura wordlessly rises up and strides away from her platform, leaving them to mourn Miyata without her. They continue to scream and claw at the ground, lamenting the folly of Miyata's corrupted heart. </p><p>Aura, head bowed, strides back to her quarters, where Sako awaits her. </p><p>"Sako, have the ship prepared," she commands. "Set a course for Naruki Harbor."</p><p>Sako gives a meek nod and trots off to the northwest of the island, where the <b> <em>Ganka</em> </b> rests. Swiftly enough, the smokestacks of the pint-sized steamboat emit a belch of exhaust, readying to make the journey to Japan. </p><hr/><p>Ichigo hasn't reached the limits of his Fullbring's power just yet. He strains every muscle in his body, planting his feet firmly to the floor while gritting his teeth, green energy flashing from his armor like the roving glare of a viridescent lighthouse. </p><p>Little does he know, Tozaki Adoka is not the only one watching him. Deep within the bowels of Adoka Industries lies a security room, outfitted with screens that display the security camera footage from every floor.</p><p>Shūkurō Tsukishima stands at the center of the surveillance chamber, watching the footage of Ichigo powering up.</p><p>"Well, he's certainly become a lot stronger than when I fought him yesterday..." Tsukishima remarks to himself, glancing down at the control panel. It's listing the same data that the Reikyō meter is inputting from Ichigo, showing just how high his power measures up. </p><p>"Hm..." Tsukishima hums for a beat, watching the rising number's velocity gradually tick down. "We're very close, Ichigo, but not <em> quite </em> there yet. I think... you just need one more final push, and then you'll be <em> ripe </em>."</p><p>The Fullbringer takes out his phone, flips it open, and dials a number.</p><hr/><p>Ichigo lets out a gasp, having reached his limit. He stumbles back from the Reikyō meter, wiping sweat from his brow. He looks over to Tozaki, whose eyes are wide as saucers.</p><p>"Well... okay, you check out," the black market dealer mumbles. "Yeah, that was... I've never seen power like that before."</p><p>"Now that you're satisfied, give me what I came here for," Ichigo pants, his eyes impatient. </p><p>"Um, s-sure, of course," Tozaki nods, absolutely bowled over by the demonstration. "We'll have you out of here in just a sec-"</p><p>
  <em> Dun-dun-dun-dun-dun! Dun-dun-dun-dun-dun, dun-dun-dun-dun-dun! </em>
</p><p>Tozaki's cellphone rings in his pocket, sounding off with the Winter concerto from Vivaldi's Four Seasons symphony. Ichigo arches a brow suspiciously while Tozaki takes a nervous gulp.</p><p>"Uh, hold on... I gotta take this," the merchant apologizes, fishing his phone out and answering the call. "Yeah? I'm in the middle of something here? That wasn't... well, no I'm not – okay, fine!" </p><p>Tozaki ends the call with a huff, composes himself, and gives Ichigo a thin smile.</p><p>"We'll have you out of here in just a second."</p><hr/><p>Ringo wriggles his way through the cramped nooks of the vent, finally seeing light. The weasel scampers up towards the grate that separates the shaft from Tozaki's vault, inspecting the bolts. Tatsuki's mind assesses that the slats are wide enough for the weasel to slink past, and she wills the mustelid to shimmy itself on through, plopping onto the vault floor.</p><p>Ringo's head darts around, spying the stainless steel surfaces of the chamber, illuminated by sterile white lights. At the center of the rather plain space is a table, bolted onto it a steel drum. That must be the safe containing the totems. </p><p>The Japanese weasel darts towards the prize, only for a boot to slam down onto its tail. Ringo lets out a shriek, writhing in pain while Moe Shishigawara grins down at him. </p><p>"You ain't going anywhere, bitch," the Bōnhōku lieutenant cackles, applying pressure to the weasel's tail. He reaches down and snatches the critter, holding it up to his sneer. </p><p>"I know you can hear me, Lucky Lady," Shishigawara tells Tatsuki through her totem. "You and your friends are totally screwed!"</p><hr/><p>Down in the vents, Tatsuki snaps out of her trance with a gasp.</p><p>"Ringo!" she shouts. "The Bōnhōku have him – this is a trap!"</p><p>"What?!" Ginjō looks to her, his eyes widening with alarm. "The Bōnhōku? You're sure?!"</p><p>"They have my weasel!" Tatsuki roars, jumping up in fury. "That bone-headed bastard's got Ringo!"</p><p>"Everyone hold on; we need to assess the situation," Jackie cautions. </p><p>Not following her advice, Ginjo grasps his Saltire Cross necklace, a current of Reikyō channeling through his large frame. He juts his palm up and fires a blast of green energy into the ceiling, blowing a hole through it. The rest of XCution shield themselves from the falling debris.</p><p>"All of you, get out of here!" Ginjō orders, leaping up onto the floor above with a spring of Bringer Light. "I'll retrieve Ichigo and the totems myself!"</p><p>"Ginjō, what the hell?!" Riruka shouts after him, grasping her pigtails and twisting them in frustration. "This wasn't the plan."</p><p>"I'm not leaving without Ringo!" Tatsuki cries, becoming overcome with anger. Jackie puts a hand on her shoulder and gives a discouraging headshake. </p><p>"You're not running into danger without your totem, darling," Jackie says ruefully. "Without it, you're just a civilian."</p><p>"Long time no see, Jackie," a voice calls out from the gnarl of vents behind them. </p><p>Jackie, Giriko, and Riruka all tense when they recognize that voice. Tatsuki recognizes it, too. She turns her terrified eyes and sees Tsukishima calmly strolling towards them, his Honmatsu katana drawn. </p><p>"What's wrong?" Tsukishima continues, studying the faces of each XCution member. "I thought you'd be happy to see me?"</p><hr/><p>"Are you gonna show me the merchandise or not?" Ichigo repeats, getting annoyed of watching Tozaki stall him with a grin.</p><p>"Sure, of course, Dakūmūn," Tozaki nods, drumming his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "It'll be just a moment. And... now."</p><p>
  <em> Ding! </em>
</p><p>Ichigo hears the elevator doors open behind him. He turns to confront whatever unwelcome surprise awaits, only to feel his stomach drop like a stone.</p><p>"Chad?"</p><p>Yasutora emerges from the parting elevator doors, both of his arms hardened into Fullbring. </p><p>"You've brought this on yourself, Ichigo," the Gigante grits. </p><p>Tozaki is already fleeing in the other direction, trying to get the hell out of doge. Ichigo, without missing, kicks his suitcase up from the floor and straight at the merchant. The chest smashes into Tozaki's back and bursts open from the sheer force of impact, littering counterfeit yen in fluttering swirls while Tozaki crumples to the ground with a splash.</p><p>Ichigo turns back around just in time to meet a punch from Brazo Derecha de Gigante. In a flash, the blade of Mangetsu has been drawn, its flat face shielding Ichigo from Chad's fist. Ichigo's feet crunch into the floor while he feels the full weight of Chad's attack. </p><p><em> You've gotten a lot stronger these past few months, haven't you, Chad </em> <em>?</em> Ichigo realizes. Clearly, Yasutora had been holding back by a lot during their training sessions.</p><p>"Chad, whatever you think is going on, you need to stop," Ichigo advises calmly, trying to defuse the situation. His hopes of a peaceful resolution are dashed when he sees in Chad's eyes something he never expected: pure contempt.</p><p>"Enough with your lies, Ichigo!" Yasutora roars, deflecting the machete with a slap of his hardened palm. He swings his Brazo Izquierda del Diablo straight into Ichigo's chest. </p><p>The Strawberry gasps, feeling the wind completely knocked out of him, like it's been sucked through a vacuum. There is a pulse, and Ichigo's body is thrown back like a bullet into Tozaki's aquarium. The glass shatters, water and koi fish gushing out onto the floor in a crashing wave. </p><hr/><p>Ginjō is making his way up the floors of Adoka Industries, systematically firing blasts of Reikyō into each successive ceiling to leap onto the level above. He springs up onto the fortieth floor, only to find himself surrounded by a dozen pimple-faced security guards. Each of them are armed with batons and charging straight at him.</p><p>"Well if you insist!" Ginjō roars. </p><p>He dodges a swing from the leading guard and snatches the baton. He brings his elbow crunching against he unlucky goon's jaw, sending him face-first into the wall. Ginjō flips his newly acquired baton in his hand and channels his Reikyō into the rod -- it glows emerald when he brings it smashing against the leg of the nearest guardsman. The youngster screams in agony when his shin bends in a direction that isn't natural, bringing him to his knees. Ginjō stomps his boot down onto the wailing guard's face, breaking his nose and sending him skidding across the carpet.</p><p>Three more foolhardy guards try to pile onto Ginjō in unison. He leaps over them in a burst of Bringer Light, his shoes scraping along the ceiling before he arcs down behind them. They pivot around, only for Ginjō to swing his Reikyō-infused baton and letting loose a current of energy that crushes into their chests like a barbell. All three of them fly back, coughing up spurts of blood.</p><p>Ginjō feels a baton smash over his head, the metal rod bending as it bounces off from his skull. He slowly turns to the cowering security guard who struck him, the poor lad realizing that that was a very bad idea. Ginjō grasps the begging punk by the scruff of his uniform and punches him with ferocity, sending nine of his teeth spraying onto the wall. He drops the unconscious soul like a rag doll and runs to meet the six remaining security guards. They all stampede forward, batons raised.</p><p>Ginjō's steps work up a momentum, his limbs charging with green luminescence. In a burst of devastating Bringer Light, he launches past the six guards like a locomotive, his speed tearing paint off from the walls. The shockwave sends the guards flying in all directions, bowled over like pins. </p><p>Ginjō stands still at the other end of the hallway, looking back at the devastation in his wake. He wordlessly fires a blast into the ceiling and jumps up through the smoldering hole to continue making his way to the top floor.</p><hr/><p>Ichigo crawls out from the emptied aquarium, ankle-deep in saltwater and clutching at his bruised chest. </p><p>"I'm not fighting you," he grits.</p><p>Yasutora assumes an attack stance, eyes flinty with scorn. He closes his right fist, the extension atop his shoulder widening open to let out exhaust.</p><p>"El Directo!" he announces, taking a step forward and launching a concentration of spiritual energy straight at Ichigo.</p><p>The Strawberry bats the blast away with the flick of his machete, the ball of energy slamming against the adjacent steel wall and exploding with warbling reverb. Yasutora lunges forward, swinging both of his fists in a flurry of punches. Ichigo meets each strike with the broad side of his blade, parrying the hits with rapid-fire precision as both of their limbs blur beyond observable speed. Chad brings his left arm slamming down into the ground, causing the floor to pulse and shatter. Ichigo leaps up onto the ceiling with the posture of a spider and launches back down at Chad like a slingshot. He catches the Gigante's right bicep and twists it into a vice-like grip. Yasutora grunts with exertion when he tries to wrest his limb away from Ichigo's hold.</p><p>"Tsukishima's gotten into your head, Chad!" Ichigo barks at him. "He's brainwashed you! Everything you think he did -- that was me! You're my best friend, not him!"</p><p>Chad's face scrunches into a mask of rage. </p><p>"I wanted to protect both of you from each other, Ichigo," the Gigante admits. "I thought I owed you that much. But then... he told me who you really are."</p><p>Ichigo's brow furrows in confusion, his grip around Chad's arm loosening. </p><p>"Who I am?"</p><p>"You're Dakūmūn!" Yasutora roars, prying his arm free and skidding a yard back from Ichigo. "All this time, you've been killing Fullbringers like me for profit! How could you?! I TRUSTED YOU, ICHIGO!"</p><p>Ichigo's expression drops, an icy dread seeping through him. <em> What </em> <em>?</em> </p><p>Chad readies to attack again, only for the floor before him to burst apart. Ginjō launches up through the shattered tiles and saltwater, grasping his Saltire Cross. The pendant shines with green light and unfurls into his enormous broadsword. Before Chad can react, Ginjō swings the blade across his chest, letting fly a ribbon of blood and sending the Gigante flat on his back.</p><p>"Chad, no!" Ichigo screams, launching forward. He grips Ginjō by his wrist to stop him from swinging again.</p><p>"He's a big boy, Ichigo -- he can take it!" Ginjō hisses, tugging his wrist away and planting his blade into the ground. "We'll take him with us, right after I get the damn totems!"</p><p>The XCution leader paces over to Tozaki's unconscious body, hauling him up and shaking him violently.</p><p>"Er, wha... oh, Ginjō!" Tozaki comes to, his grogginess immediately shifting into panic. "Hey, listen to me real quick –"</p><p>"Open your fucking vault!" Ginjō commands, smacking Tozaki flat across the face with the back of his hand.</p><p>Ichigo watches with alarm, having not seen this side of Ginjō before. The guy is brutal when he puts his mind to it. </p><p>Ginjō drags Tozaki over to a panel affixed to the wall and forcibly slaps the merchant's palm onto it. The panel reads the fingerprints and admits access, the wall parting open to reveal a stainless steel vault. Ginjō tosses Tozaki aside, turns to pluck his broadsword out from the flooded floor, and enters the chamber, the overflowing saltwater following him inside.</p><p>The XCution leader approaches the safe. With a heave, he raises his sword and swings it across the barrel's scalp. It cuts through like butter, the uppermost layer of the lockbox sliding off. Panting from sheer adrenaline, Ginjō grasps the barrel and peers inside. </p><p>There is a long pause.</p><p>"They're... they're not here," Ginjō whispers. "There's nothing in here!"</p><p>With a howl of frustration, the Fullbringer grasps the bolted-in safe, rips out it from its roots, and hurls it across the chamber. It dents the wall and lands with a clunk. Ginjō turns his venomous glare to Tozaki, who is cowering on the watery floor.</p><p>"It wasn't supposed to go this far!" Tozaki pleads, trying to crawl away. "Ginjō, listen, it's no what you – <em> fuck! Let go of me!" </em></p><p>Ginjō lifts Tozaki up by his lapels with one hand and presses the tip of his broadsword against the merchant's stomach.</p><p>"You're gonna tell me where the totems are, or I'm gonna spill your guts myself," Ginjō seethes.</p><p>"There never were any totems," a voice calls up from the gouge Ginjō made in the floor. </p><p>Ginjō, Tozaki, and Ichigo all turn to look at the hole, watching the saltwater streaming down through it like a whirlpool. After a beat, Tsukishima levitates up from the cavity. The bookish Fullbringer has his Honmatsu drawn and is wearing a shit-eating grin. </p><p>"You have a funny way of treating your hosts," Tsukishima wryly comments. "It's pretty rude of you to tear the place up after all the trouble I went through inviting you here."</p><p>"Wha... what?" Ginjō mumbles, slack jawed. He drops Tozaki, the black market dealer falling onto his ass and frantically crawling over to Tsukishima.</p><p>"Tsukishima, this is <em> way </em>more that I bargained for!" Tozaki cries, comically hiding behind Shūkurō. "Ginjō nearly killed me!"</p><p>"Well, he just doesn't know how to handle disappointment," Tsukishima suggests, training his unnervingly warm stare onto Ginjō and Ichigo. "Your 'middleman' met an untimely end about a year ago, Ginjō. Hate to inform you that it was me who brokered this deal. Pardon the deception, but... it was the most expedient way of bringing <em>you all to the same spot</em>."</p><p>Ginjō's eyes widen, realizing that he has been lured into a trap. They were all just rats running in Tsukishima's maze this entire time. The promise of getting back at Adoka, or finding closure for his slain comrades – it had all been a ruse. </p><p>"Tsukishima, you bastard..." Ginjō seethes, both of his hands wrapping tightly around the hilt of his broadsword. "This ends today."</p><p>Tsukishima cocks an eyebrow.</p><p>"You sure you want to fight me, Ginj –?"</p><p>Ginjō launches towards him in a thunderous boom of Bringer Light and swings his sword down with devastating force. Tsukishima meets the strike with his katana, both of them skidding across the room while Tozaki screams and leaps out of harm's way. Ichigo watches in shock as both combatants burst through the wall, tumbling out from the building and into the Naruki City skyline. </p><p>"Ginjō, wait up!" Ichigo shouts after them, readying to join in. </p><p>He takes a step forward, only to feel Moe Shishigawara's knuckles connect between his shoulder blades. With a deafening boom, Ichigo is sent smashing through the floor, his body launched down like a rocket into layer after layer of the tower.</p><p>"Haha, Jackpot!" Moe cries out triumphantly while he watches Ichigo disappear down the abyss. The Bōnhōku lieutenant wonders which floor Ichigo will finally land at.</p><p>"W-where were you this whole time?" Tozaki asks, floundering in the water.</p><p>"Hiding in the vault vents, waiting for my to shine!" Moe laughs, hands on his hips. "I got that dumbass good, didn't I? Hahahahaha!"</p><p>"You friggin' punk!" Tozaki shouts, scrambling back up. "You were just gonna let Ginjō tear my guts out?"</p><p>Moe sheepishly rubs a hand over his mohawk, his laughter settling into an embarrassed guffaw.</p><p>"Well, I know better than to mess with Mr. Ginjō," the punk admits. "C'mon, we gotta get down to the street before they leave us behind."</p><hr/><p>Tsukishima balletically dashes down the facing of Adoka Industries, dodging swipes of Ginjō's broadsword. The massive blade carves across steel, shredding through it like fraying twine. </p><p>"Stand still, you cocky prick!" Ginjō berates him, swinging his sword back and infusing it with a heavy dose of Reikyō. He swings, a current of blistering green energy sweeping towards Tsukishima like a wave. Tsukishima bounces off the face of the tower to avoid the attack, landing on a foothold of Reikyō in mid-air. Ginjō dives after him, thrusting his broadsword straight for his chest. Tsukishima parries the attack and spins elegantly behind Ginjō, playfully tickling the point of Honmatsu against his lower back. </p><p>Ginjō turns in a huff and clashes with Tsukishima, both of their blades grinding as they free fall down towards the street. They land onto the pavement with a soft bounce of Bringer Light, their swords still wrestling against each other's edges. Ginjō exerts his full force, prompting Tsukishima to buckle a step back. </p><p><em> I can overpower him </em> , Ginjō thinks. <em> I can crush him! </em></p><p>The XCution leader doesn't see Jackie spring behind him, swinging her left Dirty Boot. The kick crunches into Ginjō's shoulder, sending him somersaulting back towards the building entrance.</p><p>"That's enough roughhousing, dearies!" Jackie announces, putting herself between Ginjō and Tsukishima. </p><p>Ginjō scrambles back up, nursing his shoulder. His eyes flare with incredulity.</p><p>"Jackie, what the hell was that?!" he protests. "I almost had him!"</p><p>"Possibly, but we wouldn't want that, would we?" Jackie replies. "After all, he is our leader."</p><p>Ginjō's jaw goes slack, his broadsword reflexively sheathing back into his Saltire Cross. He stares at Jackie in abject horror.</p><p>"He got to you?"</p><p>The XCution van peels out onto the street with a screech. Giriko, Riruka, and Tatsuki exit from the car, joining Jackie in shielding Tsukishima.</p><p>"You thought you could mutiny against Master Tsukishima and we wouldn't defend his honor?" Giriko wonders aloud. "This is an unforgivable breach of trust, Ginjō."</p><p>Suddenly, the tower's twelfth floor above blows open, a bloody Ichigo leaping out from the smoke. The Strawberry dives down and lands beside Ginjō, trying to quickly assess the situation. He sees the rest of XCution poised beside Tsukishima and feels a pang of fear, realizing what's happened. He looks into Tatsuki's eyes and recognizes the same look Chad had given him: pure contempt.</p><p>"Tsukishima brought you into XCution, Ichigo!" Tatsuki scolds him, her voice quavering with both anger and sadness. "He taught us our Fullbring, and you repay him by siding with Ginjō?"</p><p>"Oh, <em> shit </em>," Ichigo exhales, his shoulders drooping.</p><p>Ginjō's at a loss for words. He doesn't understand how this could have happened. He doesn't even pay notice when the dozens of security guards and factory workers pour out from Adoka Industries' entrance behind him. They all make their way past Ichigo and Ginjō to line around Tsukishima.</p><p>"You all played your roles perfectly, boys," Tsukishima smiles at the office employees. "They didn't suspect a thing."</p><p>Ichigo's eyes widen while he watches the guards and workers take off their suits, revealing the Bōnhōku tattoos emblazoned on their exposed arms. <em> What the hell? </em>He realizes that everyone he had interacted with inside the building had been from the Bōnhōku gang.</p><p>"It's amazing how you can turn anyone into a fine actor when you can <em> implant </em> their backstory and motivation," Tsukishima grins, sheathing his Honmatsu back into a bookmark totem. </p><p>"How... but, this isn't possible –" Ginjō stammers, unable to make sense of this.</p><p>"You underestimated my Fullbring, Kūgo," Tsukishima gloats, tucking his bookmark back into his breast pocket, where his notebook also resides. "You're wondering how I could orchestrate all of this by just inserting myself into their memories? You're not thinking with enough imagination. I have the power to insert myself into my prey's memory, true enough. But that's the <em> bare minimum </em> . If I really set my mind to it, I can a reshape anyone's recollection of their entire life story <em> however I want </em>."</p><p>Ichigo feels his breath catch in his throat. This is a nightmare. </p><p>"I can convince a criminal they've been a lawman their entire life – it's really not that hard," Tsukishima continues with relish. "I can supplant the role of their dearest friend, or I can erase the memory of their dearest friend altogether. Be grateful that your comrades remember you at all. They now know you as a traitor, but at least they still <em> know your name </em>."</p><p>Shishigawara, Tozaki, and Yasutora exit the building at last, with Shishi supporting Yasutora on his shoulder. They gingerly walk around Ginjō and Ichigo to join Tsukishima's side of the aisle. Ichigo watches in mounting despair while his friends look at him with disdain.</p><p>"There's still some guys inside," Moe tells Tsukishima. "They looked really banged up."</p><p>"We can leave them," Tsukishima replies. "They were just set dressing, after all."</p><p>"Hey, <em> you </em>," Tatsuki nudges Shishigawara. "I want my weasel back -- now!"</p><p>"Uh, yeah, sure thing," Moe mutters, reaching into jacket pocket to produce Ringo. The Japanese weasel bites him on the knuckle, prompting him to yelp. Ringo leaps from his hands and into Tatsuki's arms. She cradles him affectionately before slipping him back into her satchel.</p><p>"This doesn't add up!" Ginjō roars, gesturing back at Adoka Industries. "You're saying that <em> none </em> of this was real? That's bullshit! What, you bought a building just to rip me off?!"</p><p>Tsukishima's grin turns up a degree. He looks back at Riruka. She looks crestfallen, her eyes downturned in shame. She steps forward and unenthusiastically calls out a chant. </p><p>"Working from Nine to Five, you won't believe your own eyes..." she mutters.</p><p>There is a deafening groan of steel as Adoka Industries begins to rumble and twist. Ginjō and Ichigo look back in shock as the looming skyscraper shrinks down into a diminutive dollhouse. It's no more than six feet in height.</p><p>"You can keep the mockup," Tsukishima chuckles. "As a souvenir."</p><p>Ginjō's eyes nearly bulge out of his head. He looks back at Riruka with a look of unbridled hatred.</p><p>"Dokugamine, you fuckin' traitor!" he shouts. "You've been working with Tsukishima this whole time? You betrayed us all like that? When?! –"</p><p>"– When did she join my side?" Tsukishima coos condescendingly. "Was it from the beginning, or just before we put together this little masquerade? Did she do my bidding of her own free will, or did I use Honmatsu on her? That's all irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that you took my master from me, and so now I've taken XCution from you."</p><p>Ginjō's expression softens into a vacant stare. He's numb, knowing full well that Tsukishima has won. </p><p>"I think it's time we get out of here," Tsukishima announces. "Shishi, you drive. Everyone else – hold hands."</p><p>Shishigawara nods and runs to the XCution van's driver seat. The rest of Tsukishima's gathered army join hands in one long line, connecting them all with Riruka. She sighs and tenses, initiating the transfer inside XCution headquarters. </p><p>Ichigo watches as Chad and Tatsuki glare at him -- their eyes full of hurt. They glaze into green light along with everyone else and suck into the dollhouse  built into the van's trunk. With that, Moe hits the gas and the car drives off.</p><p>Ichigo and Ginjō stand together, completely speechless. It's just the two of them now, with nothing but construction lots and a goddamn dollhouse behind them. Adoka Industries teeters in the wind, so fragile in its natural state that it tips over and cracks on the pavement.</p><p>                                                         </p><p>
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